Out of Reach
by Emartin
Summary: The Von Trapps encounter a problem during their escape that is painful for the whole family
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Out of Reach 

**Summary:** The Von Trapps encounter a problem during their escape from Austria that is painful for the whole family. This story gets quite angsty at times, so if you don't like this, then I'd urge you not to read it. Some parts have threats, but nothing physical happens to any of the characters, I promise!

This story takes place after the Von Trapps sing at the Salzburg Music Festival, but it is to be assumed that this was their original escape plan. It is also assumed that the family still knows that the Nazis are waiting for them to finish singing to escort the Captain to his new position in the Navy of the Third Reich. Nothing past this point in the movie is the same… 

**Rating:** PG-13 for some violence.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own 20th Century Fox, The Sound of Music, or any of its characters. I have been working on this story since December, so any similarity to other recently-posted stories is purely coincidental. 

**Thank you: **Thank you to my two wonderful betas, Joolsfan and imnotacommittee, without whom this story would not have been possible. Their suggestions, concerns, and praises helped to mould this story into something of which I am very proud and also kept me going when I felt like giving up (and that was MANY times!) They (luckily) saved me from making Maria a meek, weeping, backboneless person at times and Georg a hotheaded, moody control freak! Both of your support is very graciously appreciated and it is a pleasure to work with you both.

**OUT OF REACH**

"Will you two keep quiet, please," Liesl Von Trapp said to her two younger siblings, while glaring in their direction. "You know Father would not want you arguing, especially now."

"Well what's taking them so long?" Kurt asked with a sigh. As he spoke, five faces turned towards him in the darkness and he saw one of his sisters roll her eyes.

"Louisa, please," Liesl pleaded with her teenage sister as she witnessed her discourtesy. Looking upwards, Louisa met her elder sister's gaze for a moment and the worry in the younger girl's eyes seemed to offer an unspoken apology for her action.

Liesl smiled with reassurance and patted her sister's hand gently. She returned her gaze to her younger brother. "You know why we are here, Kurt. Your impatience is not making the situation better for any of us. Mother and Father will come as soon as they can; I'm certain of that."

She continued speaking, voice softening, "Please, just trust me on this and be patient."

Kurt nodded his head in surrender. "Sorry," he stated, not directing his apology to any particular sibling. The boy slumped back in the seat of the family's car. Even in the dark, Kurt's nervousness was apparent, as it also was on his five siblings' faces.

"It just feels like we've been waiting here for so long," he said glumly.

Earlier in the evening, the Von Trapps had been at their home in Salzburg; without much advanced warning, the family was now on the brink of fleeing Austria to escape the Nazi regime. Within a matter of hours, the happy and carefree lifestyle to which the children were accustomed had turned uncertain and potentially dangerous.

After a moment of thought, Louisa sighed and looked at her younger brother, their bickering moments earlier forgotten. "I suppose you're right. It does feel like we've been here forever."

"And Marta and I left first, so we've been here the longest," Kurt added while absently looking up and drawing imaginary circles with his finger on the ceiling of the car.

"I was nervous leaving the Festival," Brigitta admitted, a tinge of fear in her voice. "I was afraid that someone would see us and ask where we were going."

"Me too. I kept hearing the soldiers walking around and thought they'd see us," Friedrich added with a slight shake of his head.

"So did we," Brigitta said with a glance toward Louisa. As she spoke, she let out a forced laugh. "Their shoes made more noise than Kurt's stomach when he's hungry."

Louisa nudged Kurt lightly with her shoulder and let out a nervous laugh in agreement.

Kurt rolled his eyes sarcastically. "It's so hot in this car," he complained, lightly kicking the seat in front of him.

"It's _not_ that bad," Friedrich countered with a chiding look at his brother, "Besides, you better get used to it. We'll be here for a while."

Brigitta began to twirl her hair between two of her fingers and Louisa wrung her hands together and leaned her head back against the seat.

"I wish Mother and Father were here so we could leave," Brigitta sighed.

Liesl nodded her head with understanding. "Not too much longer," she whispered.

Marta listened to her siblings with uncertainty. Being only seven, she did not fully understand why her family had to flee the Salzburg Music Festival in secret after they performed. She had witnessed the heated display between her father and Herr Zeller prior to their performance_, _when Zeller had made his presence known backstage. Yet, Marta could not make sense of the whole situation and was trying to determine this for herself, as she listened to the worried chatter of her siblings.

"Friedrich?" the little girl asked after a few moments of silence, "Are we going home tonight?"

As she spoke, the grave reality of the situation filled the air. Marta glanced up at her oldest brother with wide eyes of confusion and slowly the boy shook his head.

"Well, we—" Friedrich started with a slight hesitation.

"Marta, we are not going home tonight; maybe never again," Brigitta interjected as she met Friedrich's gaze.

Friedrich nodded in agreement, as he took Marta's hand in his own. The little girl glanced from Friedrich to Liesl, searching for an explanation.

Liesl spoke with hesitation. "Marta, a group of angry men want Father to fight against Austria in their navy and he doesn't want to. So, the only thing for us to do is leave the country tonight."

"Can't he just say 'no'?" Marta asked wide-eyed.

Brigitta and Louisa locked eyes for a moment while Liesl and Friedrich both shook their heads, wishing the solution were that simple.

"They don't take no for an answer," Brigitta explained to her little sister. "That is why we have to run away."

"Oh," Marta said with surprise. She continued to speak with hesitation, curious to know the answer to her question, but scared of the truth. "Will we get in trouble?"

Silence filled the vehicle as the elder Von Trapps reflected on the family's dangerous situation and determined the best way to answer the question without further scaring their younger sibling.

"Brigitta?" Marta persisted, her wide eyes filling with tears.

Brigitta met Liesl's gaze for a moment and took a deep sigh before speaking. "I hope not," she whispered with a shake of her head. Her voice caught slightly as she spoke.

Friedrich rubbed Marta's shoulder and brought her onto his lap. "Father has a plan to escape. I'm certain of it," he said to everyone with renewed confidence, though not tangibly aware of his father's strategy.

The others nodded in agreement.

A moment of tense silence passed as the Von Trapp children stared quietly out the windows, anticipating the arrival of their parents.

"Where's Gretl?" Marta asked, breaking the silence once more.

"With Mother and Father," Louisa answered.

"Mother will take care of her, Marta," Liesl comforted her little sister. Marta leaned against her oldest sister's shoulder and nodded with understanding. Despite all the confusing thoughts clouding her mind, Marta had complete confidence in this.

"I wonder where we'll go?" Kurt asked in a small voice.

Friedrich looked at his brother and shrugged his shoulders. "Someplace outside of Austria. I heard Father on the telephone reserving train tickets, so I suppose we'll take the train."

"But that could be anyplace," Louisa added as she reached across Friedrich and began to twirl a strand of Marta's long hair with her fingers.

"As long as we're together, it doesn't matter where we go," Brigitta countered with contrived encouragement. She glanced between her siblings with wide eyes of hope.

"Yes. Brigitta's right. That's all that matters. As long as the nine of us are together, we'll be fine," Liesl agreed. She glanced at Brigitta as she spoke and the two girls nodded with reassurance, both for themselves and the others.

"I'm scared," Louisa whispered. The usually enigmatic girl glanced downward toward her lap as she spoke and felt Brigitta lightly squeeze her hand.

"So am I," Brigitta softly agreed, while looking around the car at her siblings. The others nodded without hesitation.

Friedrich put his arm around Louisa and Liesl reached across her siblings to pat Brigitta's leg in comfort. Silence filled the car as the six Von Trapp children stared out into the darkness, searching for the rest of their family.

* * *

Applause echoed through the night as Captain and Baroness Von Trapp exited the stage at the Salzburg Music Festival with their youngest daughter. While the audience hoped their enthusiasm might lure the Von Trapp Family Singers into a second encore, Captain Von Trapp was preoccupied with quickly fleeing the Festival and leading his family to safety.

"I'm nervous about the children. I pray they've made it safely to the car," Maria whispered to her husband as the trio walked backstage.

"They're fine," he answered curtly with a slight nod of the head.

Maria glanced upwards at her husband's distant and calculating demeanor. Memories of the cold disciplinarian she had first met at the beginning of the summer flooded her mind; the resemblance of her loving husband to his former, aloof self had been uncanny since they had finished singing moments earlier. Maria tightened her grip on little Gretl's hand as she led her down a corridor backstage. At least she had peace of mind that her youngest child was safe in her presence.

"Well I won't be settled until I see all six of them together and unharmed," she confided.

The Captain nodded with distraction and turned to face his wife.

"Maria, you're going to take Gretl to the toilettes. Right next-door, there's another door marked_ kesselraum_. Max cut the lock before we went on-stage, so it's accessible."

Georg was extremely grateful for his friend's structural knowledge of the Festival House. As a music aficionado, Max had been a regular in the building for years and therefore was able to quite easily devise an escape route for the Von Trapps.

"Go inside this room- the boiler room- and in the back you will see an exit. It lets out in the rear of the building and isn't manned since it's never used. Take Gretl to the car and wait with the children. I'll meet you there—"

Maria crossed her arms on her chest and shook her head slightly, her eyes consuming with stubbornness. "Georg, I don't think we should separate," she interrupted.

"Maria."

"I just don't," she repeated with urgency.

"Please," Georg pleaded, taking hold of her hand, "just trust me." He gazed into his wife's fearful yet obstinate eyes in an attempt to quiet her protests. He leaned forward and met her lips with a soft kiss, as he stroked her hand.

"I can't help how I feel," she retorted, meeting his gaze. "I fear for everyone's safety, Georg."

"We have a plan to escape that will work."

"I realize we have a plan, but something could always happen," she whispered so that Gretl would not hear her. Her eyes glazed over with fear.

"I know what I'm doing, Maria," Georg defended, his mood darkening as he sensed his wife's seeming lack of confidence. Georg shifted his stance slightly and turned his face from Maria so that her insistent stare now met his profile.

"Yes, I don't doubt that, but those monsters are capable of anything. They'll come after us once they discover we're missing. I just think we should stay together; it's not safe to separate," she reiterated while placing a hand on her husband's forearm and gently rubbing his skin. Maria glanced downward at her hand, but a moment later brought her eyes upwards, resting them on Georg's profile.

As she gazed at her husband, Maria saw Georg set his chin and purse his lips, his irritability becoming apparent. He continued to stare straight ahead, breathing deeply.

"Maria," he retorted with frustration, "what is not _safe_ is having my wife and child in my presence as long as the Nazis are scrutinizing me so closely. It's best we separate; at least until we reach the car and have a means of protection and escape."

"But Georg, I just feel—" she interjected. As she began to object, Maria saw the aggravation in her husband's eyes and ceased speaking.

"Maria, we don't have time to argue about this. Max and I thought it through very carefully. I don't need you making this situation more difficult than it already is. Now, take Gretl to the toilettes, please!" he ordered.

The Captain stared straight ahead, but nonetheless saw Gretl move closer to her mother and cling to her waist. He could feel Maria's persistent stare at his profile and her eyes seemed to burn into his flesh.

Turning to face his wife, Georg felt his stern mask dissolve as he beheld the unmistakeable fear in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he lowly stated while locking eyes with her, "The stress is unbearable and I took it out on you. Forgive me, Maria." Gently, he reached up and caressed her cheek. He also gently stroked Gretl's hair, as she embraced her mother.

Maria softly nodded, confirming acceptance of his apology. "Remember God is with us, Georg. He will guide our way, " she lowly stated.

Georg nodded in response and leaned forward to kiss Maria's cheek. He took hold of her hands and looked deep into her eyes. "Please just trust me. Take Gretl to the car and wait for me with the children. Your presence will be soothing to them. I will be there soon after you," he pleaded with his strong-willed wife.

Maria gazed into Georg's eyes and nodded slowly. "I trust you, Georg," she assured him while taking Gretl's hand and leading her down the hall.

As the Captain wasted a precious moment watching his wife and child walk away from him, he closed his eyes and exhaled some of his anxiety; he would do anything to get his family to safety.


	2. Chapter 2

"Halt!"

Maria froze in her tracks as the icy cry pierced the silence of the corridor. She felt Gretl's grip on her hand tighten. Maria closed her eyes for a moment and breathed outward, expelling some of her own concern. Composure regained, she reluctantly turned and faced the source of the disruption.

"Going someplace, are we, Frau Von Trapp?" a gruff voice greeted them brusquely.

"Good evening," Maria replied with a curt nod. As she spoke, she stared unperturbed at the countenance of a young Nazi soldier and brought her hand forward to gesture down the corridor.

"The toilettes, naturally," she replied, "young children need to use them quite frequently."

The soldier glanced down the corridor and noted the toilettes in plain view. He squinted his eyes and returned his gaze to Maria, as if trying to decipher her unwavering stare. A tense moment of silence passed as Maria and the soldier continued to stare rigidly at each other.

"Sir, I really must insist you allow us to pass. My daughter desperately needs to use the facilities," Maria implored, her gaze unfaltering. Gretl nodded as if on cue and shifted her weight onto one leg.

The soldier stared at the child for a moment before returning his gaze to Maria. "Go!" he replied bluntly, with a cock of his chin in the direction that Maria and Gretl had been walking.

They proceeded to move down the corridor and the soldier scrutinized them with intensity. Maria could feel his eyes boring into her back as she led Gretl toward the pair of doors.

"Günther!"

The sound of another Nazi soldier briefly distracted the interrogator's attention and he abruptly turned to ferret out the source of the cry. At that exact moment, Maria and Gretl stood on the brink of entering the door to the toilettes. Casually Maria glanced behind and beheld the Nazi's back, as he spoke with an out-of-view comrade. Without hesitation, she pulled Gretl past the toilettes and covertly disappeared through the door marked _kesselraum._

Once inside, the duo paused for a split second and Maria looked heavenward. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Come, darling," she quietly beckoned to Gretl, still retaining her small hand as she led her child through the darkness, feeling for the rear exit of the room.

"Mother, I'm scared," Gretl softly quivered as they maneuvered through the stuffy room. Upon reaching the exit, Maria could feel trembling when she placed her hands on Gretl's shoulders. A heart-wrenching ache consumed her as she realized the blatant distress of her child.

"I know, _Schätzchen. _But I'm here with you," she sighed.

"Come Gretl," Maria spoke as she stooped down and extended her arms, "hold very tight to me."

Gently, she picked Gretl up and held her snugly in her arms. The child's trembling seemed to settle in the warmth of her mother's embrace. With caution, Maria opened the exit and glanced outside. She saw the family's car parked exactly where Georg had told her to look for it and relief flooded her mind. Maria peeked around the doorframe, surveying the parking lot.

"Hold tight, darling," she whispered into Gretl's ear.

The little girl gently nodded and nuzzled closer to her mother. Labored breathing filled the gap between them and both mother and daughter were shaking with fear.

Maria tightened her embrace around Gretl and sprinted across the parking lot to the car. As she neared the vehicle, Maria saw six heads peering out the windows into the night. She felt relief flood her being. Her plaguing, yet feared, question regarding the children's escape had been answered; they were safe and all together.

"We're almost there," Maria comforted Gretl, while strengthening her grip around her child.

Gretl snuggled closer to her mother.

As they neared the vehicle, Maria saw the passenger door open and hurriedly sought the safety of the refuge. Almost immediately, she felt movement under her arm and opened her eyes to see Marta maneuvering herself next to her sister on their mother's lap. She also felt hands on her arms from a few of the others sitting closest to her. Maria opened her eyes and smiled with relief as she embraced the second little girl on her lap and warmly greeted the others.

"I'm here now," Maria assured all of them in a whisper. Marta smiled and burrowed closer to her mother.

"Is everyone alright?" Maria asked, turning toward the rear of the car where the elder children sat. In the darkness she could perceive five heads nodding with assurance.

"Where's Father?" Brigitta inquired with a slight hesitation.

"He'll be here shortly," Maria replied. Silently, she closed her eyes and prayed for Georg's safe escape.

"Why isn't he with you?" Kurt posed.

"He thought it best to leave on his own so it would be less conspicuous," Maria said in a matter-of-fact tone to convince herself that this was in fact a logical choice, despite the worry she still had about it.

"Where are we going now?" Louisa asked in a low voice.

"All I could get your father to reveal was someplace neutral, but I don't know for sure. I suspect Switzerland," Maria told them.

She turned to glance in the backseat. "I don't know many details, darling," she replied apologetically to Louisa's blank stare.

Louisa knitted her brow and remained staring at Maria in thought. "Well how will we get wherever we're going?" she persisted with a puzzled look.

"She said she doesn't know," Friedrich lectured his sister.

Louisa cast a tight smile at him. Turning again towards Maria, she folded her hands in her lap and began to absently knead them. "Sorry, Mother. I was just wondering."

Maria smiled at the nervous girl. "That's quite all right. Let's just leave the details to your father and Uncle Max, all right? I have no doubt they have it all figured out. They will get us to safety," Maria attempted to assure everyone in the vehicle, herself included.

All of the children nodded in agreement.

"Will Uncle Max come with us?" Liesl hoped aloud.

"Not right now," Maria responded with woe, "But hopefully soon he will join us."

"I'll miss him," Brigtta said in a low voice.

"I think we all will," Maria sighed.

The family grew silent. Maria shifted in her seat to glance out the front windshield and Liesl noted her mother's discomfort as the two youngest Von Trapps sat on her lap.

"Marta, why don't you come and sit back here with us again?" Liesl suggested while reaching her hand forward and stroking Marta's cheek with her finger.

Maria cast Liesl a grateful look and left a kiss on Marta's cheek. "Go on," she urged the little girl.

Marta smiled at her mother and took Liesl's hand. Her nerves finally appeased, she returned to the backseat and reclaimed her place on Friedrich's lap.

A moment of tense silence passed as the eight Von Trapps eagerly watched out the car windows in anticipation of the Captain's arrival. The deafening silence outside was torture and the many cars and bushes surrounding the lot made it difficult to see far away.

"Here he comes!" Friedrich whispered after a few minutes, as he sighted his father's silhouette maneuvering through the darkness.

* * *

Captain Von Trapp had endured an uneventful escape from the Festival House. He had sneaked downstairs to the cellar and had been able to exit via an unmanned door in the rear of the building. Max's detailed description of the Festival House's structural layout had not failed him. He only prayed that his wife and children had as much ease in their escape routes as he.

The Captain hurled himself into the driver's seat of the car, turned the key that the children had placed in the ignition, and sped out of the parking lot.

"They're announcing the second place winner of the contest. There's not much time before they notice we're gone," he stated aloud, glancing in the rear view mirror with anxiety.

Silence filled the car. As he drove, Georg looked frequently into the rear view mirror, mindful of any suspicious activity.

"Maria, reach into the inner pocket of my jacket and grab our tickets," he said while motioning to his right side.

"They're in a leather portfolio," he continued.

Maria did as asked and opened the portfolio to read the documents. As she beheld the information on the train tickets, her eyes widened.

"America! Georg, I thought we were going to Switzerland?" she sputtered.

"Yes. Someplace neutral," the Captain bluntly answered without emotion. In the darkness, he sensed his baffled and slightly angry wife gazing at his profile.

Georg sighed and continued his explanation. "And Max thinks America will be less obvious than my original thoughts to go to Switzerland, as I had mentioned to you."

"I had hoped you'd at least include me in such an important detail about this family's future," Maria managed to whisper to her husband, annoyance and betrayal flooding her tone.

Georg sighed with impatience, yet also apology. He reached his right hand out and gently caressed Maria's forearm and then her reddened cheek. "We were so pressed for time today, Maria."

Nobody made a movement in the car, and Georg instinctively reached down and touched Maria's hand. "I hope you know I greatly value your opinion. But the children needed you today. Nobody can comfort and attend to them like you. Not me. Not Max. When our plans changed, my strategy to work with Max seemed right at the time. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Maria sat in silence for another moment, her face softened and contemplative. Slowly she nodded and reached forward to squeeze Georg's hand in unspoken forgiveness.

He returned her gesture and directed his instructions to the whole family. "Now, when we arrive at the train station, Uncle Max's brother, Emil, will be waiting there for us. You remember when the Detweiler family visited us a few weeks ago, right?"

Everyone in the vehicle nodded instinctively.

"As you know, the Detweilers live in America and have been here for the festival," the Captain continued. Again, he glanced in the rear view mirror as he drove through the night. He ceased speaking and glanced at Maria out of the corner of his eye, noting the blank look on her face. Reassuringly, he reached over and rubbed her hand.

"Maria, Emil can be trusted. I've known him since we were boys. I trust him as I would Max. There's no blood relation between Emil and us; the officials won't be able to associate us with him."

Maria slowly nodded in understanding, although her nervousness was still apparent.

Directing his words to the whole family, the Captain resumed his plan. "Emil's wife, Marianne, and their children left for Innsbruck this morning to visit her family. Their paperwork, however, did not, since they did not leave the country."

Again, he glanced at Maria out of the corner of his eye. "Max learned this late in the afternoon and it's what caused us to change our original plans of going to Switzerland."

Maria nodded and continued to listen to the plan that the Captain was relaying to the whole family.

"Maria, you will be boarding a train departing Salzburg with Emil as his wife. Friedrich, Kurt, Louisa, and Brigitta, you are to pass for their children," he instructed.

"Georg! We can't even speak English properly! How is anyone going to believe that we live in America?" Maria stammered with exasperation.

"Emil will help you," he said in a matter-of-fact tone, "and let's remember that like Emil's family, you're immigrants living in America who speak German at home. The little English you all have studied will be believable."

Maria merely sighed, eager to hear the rest of her husband's plan and controlling her urge to further protest.

"That's five passports, Father," Liesl pointed out, "and there are nine of us."

"Yes. Liesl, you will use your mother's old Austrian passport, from before we were married. You'll go by the name Agathe Whitehead. She was not much older than you are in her photograph, and the resemblance between the two of you makes it quite believable. Gretl and Marta are to travel as your two daughters. Young children do not require passports of their own; they are allowed to pass with a parent."

"Don't passports have a birthdate on them, Father?" Brigitta questioned with a frown.

"Brigitta's right, Georg," Maria said, looking at her husband knowingly.

Georg nodded and patted Maria's hand as it rested on her lap. He glanced at Brigitta in the rear view mirror as he drove, although he spoke to the whole vehicle through a half smile. "Yes. Well, let's just say that Uncle Max is quite an artist."

Brigitta let out a giggle and smiled broadly, as did several of the older Von Trapp children.

"Oh," Maria responded without any further questions, urging her mind not to focus on the many illegal obstacles she had a feeling the family would encounter during their escape.

"You'll all travel with Emil to Innsbruck," Georg told his family. Turning to Maria, he continued to relay the rest of the details. "He plans to meet his family at the train station and they will join all of you for the rest of the journey. Emil's in-laws- the Krügers- are working on getting some extra passports that you'll need. Max said to not worry about it; they'll get them."

Maria nodded. "Max always comes through on his word," she agreed.

"We have the Krüger's address and telephone number, just in case. It's on that piece of paper behind the tickets in the portfolio." Georg glanced at Maria and saw that she was looking straight ahead, her hand absently placed to her mouth. Reaching towards her, he touched her hand gently. "Maria, I've known Emil and Marianne's families for years. We can trust them."

Maria met his gaze and nodded with belief.

"Now, does everyone understand?" Georg asked his entire family.

He could sense eight heads softly nodding in the darkness.

"What about you, Father?" Kurt pursued. "Where will you be?"

The Captain diverted the question for a moment. "The eight of you will be on a train from Salzburg to Genoa, Italy via Innsbruck. Your ship to America will leave from there. I'm arriving via Klagenfurt; it's all I could obtain at the last minute. I'll meet you in Genoa," he continued.

"How do I know you'll be safe?" Maria whispered. She turned to face her husband, eyes wide.

"I will be fine, Maria," the Captain replied while stealing a quick glance of her out of the corner of his eye as he drove.

"We'll be together again soon," he assured her with a squeeze of her hand. He continued to speak hesitantly. "Besides, I have some protection of my own."

"Protection?" Maria inquired with reservation.

"Uh huh," Georg muttered with a serious nod. He lifted his jacket to reveal a belt clip with an automatic pistol on one side and a small dagger on the other side.

"Georg! Where did those come from?" Maria gasped. She stared wide-eyed at him and with a sigh of disbelief, turned her attention to the rear of the vehicle to urge Kurt and Brigitta to sit back in their seats. The two children had leaned forward to glimpse the source of disruption.

The Captain glanced at Maria and stroked her cheek with reassurance. "Leftovers from the Navy. I've had them here all night. They are hardly noticeable under my jacket so nobody will even know I'm carrying them."

Georg repositioned his jacket and glanced at his wife again, noting her unease as she continued to stare in the direction of the now out-of-view weapons.

"Maria," he assured, "I do not plan on initiating use of these; only if I have no other choice. I pray that I will not have to use them at all."

Maria slowly nodded and her tension waned, believing what he told her.

"Now," the Captain instructed his family, "we will be arriving at the train station shortly. If questioned, all of you live in _New York_."

Eight heads nodded with understanding.

"And try to direct any further questions to Emil," he continued. "He's fluent in Eng--." The Captain trailed off as he spoke.

"Dear, God," he absently muttered while glancing in the rear view mirror. "We're being followed."


	3. Chapter 3

Emil Detweiler glanced at the clock on Platform 4 of the Salzburg Train Station. It was just before 21:00; the train pulling slowly into Track 2 was precisely on time. He knew it would be departing again very soon and felt a sense of unease as he surveyed the emptiness of the station.

Emil let out a deep sigh and resumed pacing back and forth, unintentionally touching the pocket that held six American passports. If it had been his brother he was expecting, Emil might not have been so unsettled; Max was perpetually late. Navy Captains, however, were always on time. _Georg _was always on time_._

Looking toward the entrance of the station, Emil caught sight of the ostentatious flag of the Third Reich plastered to the wall. He shook his head with disgust; its mere presence seemed to mar his homeland's future. Even if Max was not yet convinced of the dangers that lie ahead, Emil had no doubt in his own mind.

He ceased pacing and leaned against a pillar, staring relentlessly at the doorway. Patience wearing, Emil began to subconsciously tap his foot on the concrete as he waited for a family of nine to enter the station.

"This isn't like you, Georg," he muttered under his breath with a shake of his head. "God help you."

* * *

"Which way did that vehicle go?" Herr Zeller barked at the young Nazi soldier who had notified the Gauleiter of the Von Trapp family's escape.

The soldier raised his right arm in salute of his leader and then pointed toward a nearby intersection. "This way, Sir, and they turned left at the crossroad onto _Moosstrasse_."

Zeller approached the soldier until they stood face-to-face and glared rigidly at his subordinate, whose negligence had allowed the Von Trapps to flee. "This should not have happened," he spat.

Without further hesitation, he returned his attention to the other men who had already filed into two vehicles. Getting into the driver's seat of one of the cars, Zeller ordered the other driver. "Rudolph, go down to the river and search all vehicles leaving the city. They could be driving out of the country. I will go to the train station."

Rudolph acknowledged his instruction and nodded. Without hesitation, he and Zeller sped out of the parking lot in pursuit of the Von Trapps.

* * *

No one uttered a word as Captain Von Trapp glanced once more in the rear view mirror to verify his concern. His face tightened at the sight of two dim lights moving in the distance and his stomach knotted at his own intuition; this was not coincidental. They were being followed.

Maria felt Gretl quivering in her lap and instinctively pulled her child closer. She turned towards the rear of the vehicle to look out the window and felt many pairs of eyes staring at her with fright. She noticed that Marta had tears trickling down her cheek, as she sat on Friedrich's lap, her head pressed tightly against his shoulder.

"Shh, _Schätzchen_," Maria comforted the little girl while meeting her gaze and stretching to stroke her cheek. Maria forced a slight smile, hoping her inner turmoil was not apparent to the children. She looked warmly at Marta for a moment, until the child dried her eyes and her fear appeared to have subsided somewhat.

Maria returned her attention to Georg. "There's a car in the distance that's dimmed its lights," she confirmed her husband's concern with a whisper.

"Yes. I noticed," Georg replied with distraction, his thoughts preoccupied with determining an escape from this unexpected obstacle.

Maria glanced at her husband's rigid face and tight lips. She reached over and gently rubbed his forearm to calm his nerves as he sped through the narrow back roads of Salzburg. As she touched him, her trembling hand showed the fear that she was trying so hard to hide for the sake of her family.

Noticing his wife's distress, Georg's demeanor softened for a moment. "Shh…shh…" he consoled Maria while glancing at her out of the corner of his eye and gently touching her cheek.

"They won't catch us," he told her with confidence. "They can't," he barely whispered.

Maria forced a nervous smile and returned her attention to the rear window of the car where she tried to perceive the distant vehicle again.

"Maria, hold tight to Gretl. Friedrich, watch Marta," Georg suddenly instructed. Glancing out of the corner of his eye at Maria, he continued to speak. "I'm going to turn down that alley ahead, just past the next crossroad. It's an alternate route to the train station. From this distance, I hope we can lose them."

No sooner had Maria and Friedrich tightened their arms around the two smallest Von Trapps, when the car suddenly veered to the left into a deserted alley. The family was jostled by the sharp turn, yet there were no complaints or bickering. The few gasps that had escaped involuntarily, faded, and once again the car was silent.

The Captain continued to drive, but turned off the headlights. After glancing in the rear view mirror for a few moments, he let out a deep breath.

"I think we lost them," Maria stated with the first sign of relief that she had felt all evening.

"I don't see anyone either," Friedrich confirmed. "And there's no other way into this alley from that direction"

"No, they're not behind us anymore, but they could still be heading toward the train station on the main road," Georg demurred, knowing it was unlikely that their encounter with the Nazis was over.

"And if that's the case," he continued in a whisper to Maria, "they could be waiting at the gates for us when we arrive."

Maria inhaled sharply and the relief she had felt momentarily vanished. "What is there to do?" she whispered with urgency, "Do we have a choice?"

"Not if we want to get out of the country tonight. The train is our only option at this point," he answered flatly.

Maria fixed her gaze on Georg's profile as he drove and let her inner fear surface for a brief moment. She was at a complete loss of words, and instead let silence prevail as she stared blankly at her husband.

Noticing his wife's lack of response, Georg drew his eyes from the road for a brief moment and met her empty gaze. Returning his focus in front of him, he reached toward her and stroked Maria's cheek with the back of his hand.

"God will protect us," Georg assured her with the very words that Maria had spoken so many times before.

Maria nodded and smiled nervously at the irony of her own words of comfort being used on herself.

"Yes. He's always there for us," she whispered.

Georg again glanced at Maria quickly as he drove. He moved his gaze to the road, but instinctively reached over and took her hand in his own. He raised it to his lips and placed a soft kiss upon it, before lowering their entwined figures to rest upon his leg. Lovingly, he cast her another quick glance.

As he returned his attention to the road, an opening in the trees that lined one side of the alley appeared, and the train station became visible in the distance. Georg drove just past the opening and brought the vehicle to a sudden stop, causing the family to be jolted in their seats.

"What is it?" Maria asked with urgency at her husband's abrupt action.

Georg merely turned to her and placed a quick kiss on her forehead before turning toward the rear of the vehicle to face the children.

"Friedrich, I'd like you and Gretl to stay together. Louisa and Marta," he said with a nod in the elder's direction, "and Kurt and Brigitta, you two stay together as well. Liesl, you just keep an eye on everyone along with your mother."

"We're going to leave the car here and walk the rest of the way to the train station," he continued to explain while motioning towards the distant building. "When I say 'go', I want you all to run down this dirt bank and stay behind those tall bushes below until you reach the rear entrance of the station. Stay with your partner and once inside, go up to Platform 4 Track 2."

"Is that clear?" he reaffirmed in a soft voice while glancing at the older children. "Track 2. Herr Detweiler will see you and help you from there."

The children nodded mutely to indicate that they understood their father.

"Now listen closely. If _anyone_ gets separated, wait on the rear stair landing. Does everyone understand?" Georg asked with a serious glance at Friedrich and Liesl. As he spoke, he handed a ticket to each family member.

All of the children once again nodded. "Yes, Father. You don't need to worry about us," Friedrich confirmed.

Georg reached to the backseat and gave Friedrich a proud pat on his forearm.

"Where will you be?" Maria asked.

"I'll wait until everyone is safely inside and then I will enter the same way. Don't wait for me. Just go to Track 2 and board your train. I'll meet you in Genoa," he firmly stated.

"We just can't use the front entrance of the station with _them_ on our trail," he whispered to Maria while placing a hurried kiss on her lips.

She seized Georg's hand and squeezed it tightly. "This will work," she stated with confidence as the family abandoned the vehicle.

"Now remember, children, stay together," she reiterated to them before turning once again to Georg and nodding to show her readiness.

"Ready! Go!" the Captain whispered to his family.

* * *

Blaring sirens sounded through the night as one of the Nazi vehicles entered the front gate of the Salzburg Train Station. Behind the station, Captain Von Trapp froze in his tracks at the dreaded sound.

"Damn!" he spat under his breath.

Glancing towards the front of the station and noting the car just pulling into the lot, the Captain ducked behind a large bush to place himself out of view. Protectively scanning the grounds for his family, he caught sight of Maria and all seven children, who were still moving towards the back entrance to the station. Liesl was in the lead of the group and Maria was in the rear.

Georg crouched lower behind the bush and fixated his gaze on his family, knowing that he would be discovered if he bolted toward the door. The family was close enough to the station to make a run for it, and he was not far behind them; however, the headlights from the Nazi vehicle had cast a stream of light through the Captain's path and there was no way around it.

The noise from the sirens permeated the stillness of the night, and instinctively Maria glanced back at Georg. The stream of light meters in front of her cast a glow on her face and Georg could see the worry that welled in her eyes as she met his gaze. For a moment, the couple stared from afar at each other; a look filled with love, despair, and fear of their situation.

Georg motioned for Maria to continue running, noting that Zeller had turned off the lights and sirens on the car, and was approaching the rear of the station on foot. Casting one final look of concern at him, Maria reluctantly turned and continued to run after the children. As she neared the door, she heard Zeller's orders resound.

"Viktor, Ludwig, search the front grounds! Johannes, search inside! I will check behind the station," Herr Zeller instructed his soldiers.

"And do not leave without Captain Von Trapp! I know he's here," Zeller barked.

The foursome dispersed in opposite directions without hesitation.

The grounds were once again dark without the light from the vehicle. The Captain continued to creep through the shadows toward the station, mindful of any action that might draw attention to himself. When Zeller appeared in view, Georg found temporary refuge behind a mass of overgrown foliage. He peered through a small opening at the silhouette prowling through the night in his pursuit.

"I find your running humorous, Captain. So much energy exerted, so much trouble caused. For naught. After all, there is no escape," Zeller said cynically as he searched the grounds.

The nazi continued to poke through the foliage as he paced. "You thought you could outsmart the Gauleiter, did you, Captain? Well think again. I just hope my men don't run into your little nun or one of your daughters. We wouldn't want anything to happen to them, would we?" he said with an evil grin.

The Captain clenched his teeth and felt his fury grow. He struggled to maintain composure despite the feelings of rage and hatred going through his mind.

"Tell me. What kind of a man endangers his family because of his own cowardice? Turn yourself in and no one will be harmed. Continue to disobey and I can't make you any promises, Captain. Do you hear me?"

Zeller continued to walk through the grounds and now unknowingly stood only a short distance away from the Captain.

"Your nun should get used to a cold bed again; she'll be alone for a long time when we find you. And we will find you!" he taunted. "But maybe she won't be alone. A fresh, young thing like that could be put to good use, if you know what I mean, Captain. But _of course_ you do! You put her to your own use all summer!"

Zeller released a low rumble of smug laughter and now stood within a few meters of the Captain. Georg knew that there would be no escape if he did not act immediately. Slowly, he pulled his pistol out from under his jacket and cocked the trigger.

Zeller stopped in his tracks at the sound and smiled with defeat, knowing he had found the Captain at last.

"I knew you'd come to your senses, Captain," the Nazi smirked with victory. As he spoke, Zeller cocked the trigger on his own pistol.

He turned his back to the Captain to rummage through a large pile of rubbish on the ground, in pursuit of Georg's hiding spot. Without hesitation, the Captain charged forward and crashed into the back of his enemy, colliding into him with so much force that it knocked both men to the ground. Scrambling to his feet, the Captain began to run toward the station while Zeller was still regaining composure. As the Captain stood in front of the station on the brink of entering, a gunshot pierced the still night.


	4. Chapter 4

"No!" Maria gasped at the sound of the shot.

The family had made it inside the train station and was running up the last set of stairs to Platform 4 when the deafening sound erupted. The children froze and turned to face their mother, terror evident on every face.

"Liesl, Friedrich, take everyone upstairs to meet Herr Detweiler and get on your train. He'll be waiting for you and will help you board," Maria instructed. Her body trembled and she felt her heart racing as she spoke, but she forced herself to remain calm. Before waiting for their acknowledgement, Maria turned and bolted down the steps to find Georg.

As she descended the stairwell, she heard a series of muffled sobs, and her heart ached to hear the little ones so frightened. Maria hesitated for a slight moment, considering returning to the children, out of fear that they couldn't cope without her.

"Come on! Let's go!" echoed Friedrich's voice over the sound of the youngsters' cries.

"Liesl, you stay in the back. I'll lead," he ordered.

Maria let out a sigh of relief; the children were more mature than she realized and would help each other. She resumed her descent and her thoughts returned to Georg.

"Please Lord, let him be all right," she whispered as she reached the first floor of the station and stood facing the entrance through which she and the children had come only moments earlier.

Her prayers were interrupted by the sound of the door being opened. Without any planned escape route, Maria hurriedly pressed herself to the wall behind the door, placing her body out of view. She held her breath as the door opened with haste, yet when the intruder quickly slammed it shut, she was again in full view.

Her heart raced and her cheeks flushed with anxiety, but upon realization, her eyes widened with happiness and relief.

"Georg!" Maria gasped upon seeing her husband standing before her.

Georg stared briefly at her with disbelief.

"What _are_ you doing here, Maria?" he demanded at the sight of his wife.

"I heard the gunshot and had to find you," she told him, her obstinate eyes boring into his angry ones.

"Maria!"

"Yes?" she answered with a raise of her brow at the sharp tone of voice Georg had used.

Georg sighed with exasperation and shook his head angrily. "Go! Get on that train upstairs immediately!" he commanded while pointing to the flight of stairs before them.

"_Georg!"_ Maria protested, "I will not leave you alone here to die!"

"And I will not have you stay here and risk your life! Now go upstairs this instant!" he said with growing impatience.

"I will not! As long as you stay here, I will be—"

"Shh," he interrupted, placing a hand to her lips. For a second neither of them said anything.

"I hear something. Come!" he whispered while grabbing her wrist and leading both of them under the stairs to a cargo storage room entrance.

Inside the room, Georg dragged a stack of empty pallets in front of the door as a barricade and locked the door. Pulling Maria into the deserted storage area, he pressed her back against the wall between two tall rows of full pallets, and protectively leaned himself against her body. Maria stood pressed against the cold wall and tightened her hands around the Captain's waist out of fear.

They glanced at each other and Georg placed a finger to his lips, nervous that any motion or noise could reveal them to the Nazis if their temporary refuge was discovered.

Maria nodded softly with understanding and held her breath for a brief moment. She exhaled slowly in an attempt to calm her nerves and felt Georg pull her slightly closer to him in comfort. For a few minutes, the couple remained immobile; the heaving of their chests was the only movement being made.

Suddenly a muffled door slam echoed through the room and Georg felt Maria stiffen in his arms. Instinctively he pressed her head closer to his chest. Georg glanced backwards, wary of any possible intrusion.

"I don't think anyone came in here. It sounded like them leaving the station through the door on the landing," he barely whispered after surveying the scene briefly.

Maria nodded in agreement. "I don't hear anything anymore," she said very quietly, loosening her grasp on Georg absently. She glanced upwards at her husband and noted that his stoic façade and calculating demeanor had returned.

"Stay here. I'll be back in a minute," he whispered to Maria while holding his hand upright to deter her from moving. Maria obeyed unquestioningly and without hesitation Georg turned and walked down the row.

He disappeared around the stack of pallets and furtively moved through the room until both the main and rear entrances were in view. He noted that the stack of pallets he had placed in front of the main entrance had not been moved and that the dead bolt lock was still intact on both doors.

He returned to Maria and once again urged her toward him so that he could whisper directly into her ear. "I don't think there's anyone here but us. But we should stay here for a few more minutes in case they are still outside one of the doors."

Maria nodded her head against Georg's lips, which still rested by her ear. She released a slow breath and moved her head away from him so that she could look up into his eyes. "That was close," she said with relief.

"Yes it was," Georg concurred with a raise of his eyebrow.

The couple remained silent for a long moment, each pondering where to go next, for they knew they had missed their trains. Maria decided to break the silence and spoke with a low voice and a slight hesitation. "What now?" she posed.

"I haven't figured that out yet," Georg said with a tight smile. He glanced down at Maria and shook his head with displeasure.

"I should be here by myself. This wasn't in the plan," he grumbled.

Maria cast her gaze upwards and met her husband's stare. "I know, but I had to see if you needed my help. I couldn't leave after I heard the shot, not knowing…" she trailed.

Noting her husband's unfaltering glare, she raised her eyebrows at him and proceeded to speak. "Please don't be angry with me for disobeying, Georg. Would you have acted differently if it were me in danger?" she posed, gaze softening.

Georg stared at her pensively for a brief moment and his scowl slowly faded. He opened his mouth to protest, but shut it again and continued to ponder his wife's inquiry.

"I'd do whatever it took to help you. There's no doubt," he said in a serious tone. Suddenly he smiled lowly. "Do you know that stubborn streak of yours is growing on me? It's opened my eyes to so much."

Maria smiled shyly at his compliment.

Georg raised his hand to stroke her cheek. "If I haven't told you enough times already, thank you," he said earnestly. He took Maria's hand and placed it to his lips, leaving a soft kiss on her palm.

"We're partners now, Georg. In everything,"

Maria's blue eyes met Georg's gaze and she could not mistake the gleam that she saw there.

"Well, we've already proven that," he said with a soft, knowing smile.

Maria felt her cheeks redden slightly under her husband's penetrating stare, fully aware of his innuendo. She smiled coyly. "Yes, that too."

She held Georg's intense gaze for an extended moment and finally continued speaking. "But what I meant was that we must act as a team. Always."

Georg laughed. "Are you trying to demote this Sea Captain, Fräulein?" he teased, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Well not necessarily 'demote.' Just…" Maria knitted her brow for a moment and hesitated, "…influence him."

She smiled briefly, but still unsure of her words, again hesitated. "Or maybe 'soften him' would be a better choice of words," she added in reassurance.

Georg reached forward and moved a strand of hair off of Maria's face. He placed a light kiss upon her forehead and smiled softly. "You're really going to hurt my ego, Maria."

"Oh?"

"Yes," the Captain whispered, face softening. "But you make perfect sense. I'm sorry that I doubted you."

Maria smiled with acceptance and moved her hand gently across Georg's lower back. She opened her eyes wide. " And I'm sorry that I upset you, Georg, but I am not sorry to be here with you."

Georg smiled softly. "That was some apology, Fräulein. What was it I said about you being stubborn?" he joked.

Maria raised her eyebrow and gave her husband a sidelong glance. "You know what I mean," she said with a slight roll of her eyes and a soft smile.

Georg returned her smile and stared at his wife, happy that her presence at least lightened their mood, if only for a brief moment. He would, however, have to face reality, and continued to speak as his smile faded. "You're putting yourself in a lot of danger, Maria," he stated in a firm voice, his eyes boring deep into hers.

Maria nodded her head. "I know," she admitted, rubbing the small of Georg's back with her thumb.

"But you don't know what went through my mind when I heard that gunshot. I was so frightened," she confessed with a slight tremble in her voice.

Maria placed her hand to Georg's cheek and gently stroked him as she gazed up into his eyes and continued to speak. "Are you hurt?" she whispered.

Georg shook his head slightly and sighed deeply, expelling some of the lines of worry that had formed on his brow. "I missed _him_ by a margin. That's what you heard."

Georg gazed into Maria's eyes and after a moment of silence, he moved his face closer to her and brushed her ear with his lips.

"I couldn't do this without you, Maria," he whispered to her. Gently, he rubbed her forearm with his hand, as he moved his head back to once again meet her gaze.

"We're in this together, Georg," she said. Maria pressed her head to his shoulder and for a moment the couple stood in each other's arms.

"Come," the Captain said in a low voice while drawing her away from his chest so that he could look into her eyes, "I think Zeller must have gone upstairs to the platforms. I don't hear anything."

Taking hold of her hand, he gave her a final kiss on the lips and led Maria from their hiding spot.

* * *

"Come on, Marta!" Kurt called to his younger sister, "Run faster! We have to hurry!"

"Kurt, Marta is running as fast as she can!" Brigitta countered.

"Well, run faster than you can, Marta!" he said impatiently with a roll of his eyes.

Louisa shot a glare in her younger brother's direction and silenced any argument that might have erupted between her siblings. The seven Von Trapps continued to sprint up the stairwell in silence.

Friedrich reached the landing to Platform 4 first and immediately saw Emil Detweiler waiting for them under the clock in front of Track 2.

Emil stood beside the conductor, who was occupied with assisting passengers onto the train. Nervously, he cast his gaze upwards to the clock and his anxiety grew when he noticed how much time had passed; the train would depart at any moment.

The scheduled departure of six trains within the next fifteen minutes had caused the station to swarm with activity. However, Emil could not help but notice the few Nazi soldiers who were prowling the platform in pursuit of something. Or someone. He feared that the worst had happened to his friend and his helplessness in the situation made him more unsettled.

"There he is!" Friedrich shouted to his siblings over the loud bustle of the station.

"It looks like the train is about to leave. Run quickly!" he called over his shoulder, while scooping Gretl up into his arms.

"Take my hand, Marta!" Louisa ordered while grabbing the young girl's hand and dragging her toward the departing train.

The children ran with Friedrich carrying Gretl in the lead and Liesl in the rear. As Liesl ran after her siblings, the heel of her shoe caught on one of the stairs and she fell to the ground in a sudden movement. She winced in pain as she removed her shoe to disengage it from the wrought iron stair; her ankle was obviously twisted.

"Friedrich!" Liesl yelled after her brother as she sat on the stairwell, out of view of the platform.

"Wait!" she cried to no avail, due to the commotion and loudness of the station. It would have been nearly impossible for anyone on the platform to hear any noise coming from the lowly populated rear stairwell on which Liesl sat.

Exhaling a deep breath and trembling from nerves and pain, she hoisted herself to a standing position. Liesl grasped the banister and attempted to hobble up the stairs after her siblings. The pain in her ankle kept her from moving quickly, although her mind was urging her to persevere for fear of missing the train.

"Good Lord," she sighed in desperation, "I can't do this alone."

"Well, what do we have here? With those eyes, there's no mistaking that you're a Von Trapp," suddenly echoed a dry voice from the landing below.

Liesl halted and veered her head to behold Herr Zeller and another Nazi soldier ascending the stairwell in her direction.

"The last time we met I believe you were singing about champagne. Remember, Fräulein Von Trapp?" Zeller jeered.

Liesl grasped the banister for support and felt her whole body trembling. She glanced at the floor for a moment to hide her initial fear.

"Look at me!" Zeller demanded. Liesl took a deep breath and obeyed. Urging herself to be strong, her own inner strength settled her shaking body.

"Is there something I could do for you, Sir?" Liesl questioned with contrived politeness.

Zeller's mouth formed into a tight smile. "Very good, young lady. It seems you could teach your father a thing or two about respect," he said with sarcasm.

"Now, where is he?" he continued with feigned courtesy.

"I don't know, Sir," she replied with an honest shake of her head.

Gruff laughter filled the air and Liesl began to quiver once more when Zeller grabbed her wrist. "I see you didn't understand my question, Fräulein Von Trapp. Let's try this another way," he said condescendingly.

"Tell me where your father is!" Zeller tightened his grip on Liesl's wrist and pushed her into the stairway railing.

"I told you, Sir, I don't know where he is. He separated from us when we were outside," Liesl explained. As she spoke, she winced in pain from shifting her stance and unintentionally placing pressure on her ankle.

"I see," Zeller spat.

"And just where is your father planning to go tonight?" he barked, tightening his grip on Liesl's upper arm.

"Tell me!" he ordered while bringing his face closer to hers and gripping her chin roughly in his hand.

Liesl took a deep breath and met Zeller's unrelenting stare. "Switzerland, Sir," she lied.

Zeller and Liesl held eye contact for several minutes as he tried to determine whether she was telling the truth.

"Hmmm," he said through clenched teeth, "_If _he has escaped to Switzerland already, Captain con Trapp will be back, I can assure you that," he hissed at Liesl.

"Ludwig, take Fräulein Von Trapp to the car," he suddenly ordered. The anger in his eyes was apparent.

Liesl inhaled a deep breath upon hearing the order, and turned to try to move up the stairs. However, a rough tug at her hair ceased her movements. She was veered around and again Herr Zeller slammed her against the stair railing.

Tears began to well in Liesl's eyes out of pain and fright and Ludwig approached her, grasping her from behind to hold her immobile.

"Let me go!" Liesl shouted, as she writhed in the Nazi's grip.

"Get away from me!" she screamed while kicking Ludwig's shins with all her might. The young Nazi increased his strength around Liesl's arms, while Zeller watched the scene from a few meters away. Kneading his fingers together in contemplation, he approached the duo.

The Gauleiter stood in front of Liesl and glared rigidly at her face. "Perhaps I stand corrected. You're just as disrespectful and difficult as your father," he retorted.

"Let me go!" Liesl ordered as she and Zeller held eye contact.

Zeller released a smug laugh and his eyes squinted with fury. "Just like your father, Fräulein _Von Trapp_," Zeller spat, "You both should learn that you are no match for the Third Reich!"

Zeller seized Liesl's hands and bound her wrists together with a cloth, while she continued to glare at him through the tears that had welled in her eyes. "Get away from me!" she screamed. "Somebody help me! Please!"

She had tears streaming down her face and was shaking with fear.

"Keep yelling and you'll get one of those around your mouth!" As he spoke, Zeller pointed to the cloth that bound her wrists together. Liesl glowered in his direction, but ceased her screams, realizing her attempts had been unsuccessful and that it would be almost impossible to hear her cries through the bustle on the platform.

Directing his attention back to Ludwig, Zeller barked in the soldier's face. "If we can't have Captain Von Trapp, we'll take something I know he'll come back for. Take her outside!"

Ludwig nodded, yet as he urged Liesl forward, the girl began to falter due to her twisted ankle. Absently, she glanced downward toward her injury and noticed that her golden locket had fallen off during her struggle and now lay glittering on the corner of the stairs.

She stared at the object, so far out of her grasp, and a lump began to form in Liesl's throat as she stared at her lost treasure now carelessly strewn on the stairs. She felt tears well in her eyes at the sudden realization of the seriousness of her situation. Being under the control of these two men, Liesl felt hopeless that she would be able to outsmart the Nazis on her own and feared what was yet to come.

"Pick her up, Ludwig. She's no good on that ankle," Zeller instructed.

"Yes, Sir," Ludwig responded while scooping Liesl into his arms and beginning to descend the stairs once again.

"And Ludwig?" Zeller called after his subordinate, "Don't do anything to hurt Fräulein Von Trapp or you will have to pay for it. The Captain must know that she is well and will continue to stay this way as long as he complies with the Naval Forces of the Third Reich! A few threats will go a long way, I suspect."

"Yes, Sir!" Ludwig replied and proceeded down the stairs toward the brisk, autumn night.


	5. Chapter 5

"Herr Detweiler!" the Von Trapp children called as they neared Track 2.

Emil glanced in the direction of the shouts and was surprised to see the children approaching from a different stairwell than he had anticipated, but relieved to see them nonetheless. As they neared him, he noted that they appeared to be alone and that there were only six of them present.

"Hello!" he hurriedly bid them, mindful that the conductor had already made the last call for boarders.

"Quick, take your passports and board the train!" he instructed the four oldest children while handing them the documents. "You all have your tickets?"

Friedrich nodded to confirm the question.

"Where's Liesl?" Brigitta suddenly asked with panic.

"She was just behind us on the stairs!" she explained to Emil, while glancing toward the rear stairwell from which they had come.

"Quick! You six board the train. It's about to leave. I will check the stairs for Liesl. Where's your mother?" he asked while pushing them towards the conductor.

"She left to find Father," Friedrich answered with alarm.

"She'll miss the train too!" Marta gasped with realization.

"And so will you if you wait too long. Now move along!" Emil coaxed them with a forced smile as he started to sprint toward the stairs to see if Liesl had fallen or been separated from her family. "I'll be right back!" he called to the worried bunch.

Kurt and Brigitta boarded the train as instructed and found seats towards the rear of the car. Louisa and Friedrich followed closely behind, holding tightly to the two little ones.

As the six children sat in relative safety, they stared straight ahead in shock.

"I can't believe they're not here," Kurt said with a frown.

"I think Mother is with Father," Brigitta pondered aloud, while glancing between her five siblings. Louisa and Friedrich nodded in agreement.

"Why did Mother not come with us, Friedrich?" Marta lowly questioned while looking at her older brother with wide eyes.

"Because Father needed her, Marta," Friedrich replied without emotion, replaying the past few minutes in his mind to try to figure out when they had separated from Liesl.

"And because they're in love," Brigitta persisted.

"People in love would do anything for each other," she said matter-of-factly. " Father was alone and needed her help more than we did."

Louisa nodded in agreement with her sister.

"But Liesl was supposed to be with us," Marta said in a whisper.

"I wonder where she's hiding?" Gretl inquired while knitting her eyebrows together.

The elder children glanced at each other worriedly, fearing that it was not Liesl's will to be apart from her family. Marta and Gretl merely looked at each other, not understanding the situation.

"I don't think she's hiding anyplace," Friedrich explained with caution to the two little girls. "We just got separated from her."

"But we were just with her," Gretl said as she frowned and crossed her arms on her chest.

"Yes. We were supposed to stay together," Louisa reminded everyone. "Father and Mother said to make sure we do not separate. That was the one order they gave us and we didn't obey."

"So it's all our fault," Marta stated in a soft voice, tears welling in her eyes.

"No, it's not our fault," Friedrich protested, "We thought Liesl was behind us the whole time and she was until a few minutes ago. How could we have known?" As he spoke, Gretl and Marta leaned their heads up against Friedrich's shoulders and glanced up at him.

"So she just disappeared?" Gretl questioned with wide eyes.

Suddenly Marta gasped. "Did the bad men get her?" she asked in a small voice upon remembering the conversation she had had in the car with her brothers and sisters.

"Let's hope not," Friedrich said with a shake of his head.

A moment of silence passed.

Tears began to well in Marta's eyes and Gretl's lip began to quiver when she glanced around the car at her siblings' frightened faces.

"Mother wouldn't want us to cry," Louisa reminded everyone as she rubbed Marta's head to try to comfort her.

"She and Father would know what to do if they were here," Kurt sighed while starting to kick his foot absently in the air.

"And Liesl never gets scared," Gretl asserted with a look of awe. She looked at Marta and the two little girls nodded to each other encouragingly.

For a moment, nobody muttered a word. Suddenly, Brigitta sat upright and turned toward her siblings. "Let's pray they're all together. And safe," she suggested. "That's what Mother and Father would want us to do."

The other Von Trapps all nodded in agreement and huddled their heads together to say a silent prayer.

When the children had finished praying, the door to their cabin opened and Emil reappeared, just as the train began to pull slowly out of the station. His face was tense with worry.

"There was nobody on the stairwell," he told the six children cautiously, worried that he would upset them even further than they already must be.

His statement was met with silence and inactivity, nobody wanting to believe the statement and not really knowing what to say. However, after a moment the children started to migrate toward the windows one by one so that they could stare out into the darkness and catch a final glimpse of their homeland.

Emil joined them at the windows as they slowly pulled around the side of the building. As he watched, he saw two figures exiting one of the doorways in the rear of the station. Squinting his eyes, he tried to focus on the two individuals in the darkness.

"That's Mother and Father!" Marta called with the first spark of enthusiasm that any of the children had exerted since boarding the train.

"And they're together!" Brigitta added with relief.

* * *

Georg and Maria emerged from the cargo storage room with hesitation, unsure as to where their predators were prowling. The sounds of a car screeching out of the parking lot caught their attention immediately. Georg motioned for Maria to stay where she was and ran a few paces forward to get a better view of the scene, hiding behind a tree on the side of the building. He let out a grateful sigh when he confirmed that the car leaving was in fact Herr Zeller's.

Georg ran back towards Maria and spoke with relief. "They left. They must think we made it on the train."

Maria exhaled a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "Thank God," she whispered.

"Yes," Georg agreed, as he approached his wife and placed a hand to her cheek. "But we still have to get out of here."

Maria nodded and nerves caused her to rub her hands on the side of her skirt. "I know we do. Are you sure they didn't leave anyone here…to find us?" she whispered with fear in her voice.

"The car was full. I think we're safe to assume that they all left, but we must still be wary. What a relief though," he said while looking to Maria comfortingly, "even if only temporary."

Maria nodded in agreement with her husband's presumption. "I still can't stop thinking about the children, Georg," she said with worry in her voice.

"I won't be settled until I know that they're safe." As she spoke, Maria wrung her wrists and looked Heavenward.

Georg rubbed Maria's two shoulders and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I know you're worried. So am I, but let's just pray that they're safe." He embraced Maria and held her close.

The couple stood silent for a moment, revelling in the comfort of each other's presence and thinking about the children. "It's all we can do at this point, I suppose; just have patience and pray," she mused softly into Georg's ear and then let out a nervous laugh.

"What?" Georg asked with a grin, sensing something on his wife's mind.

"You know as well as I do that patience is _not_ my virtue," Maria replied with an exasperated sigh.

Georg urged her away from his embrace so that he could meet her gaze. His eyes twinkled with amusement as he raised his hand to trace the outline of his wife's nose and jaw line.

"No it isn't, Fräulein," he teased, but suddenly grew more serious. "But prayer is."

"Yes. I suppose a nun in the family could be a blessing," Maria replied with an innocent smile.

"Yes it is. And it is even better if that nun is beautiful…"

"Oh Georg, really," Maria said in a low voice, her cheeks reddening.

"…And loving…" he continued as he pulled her closer and leaned his head against her brow, never looking away.

Maria closed her eyes and smiled sweetly.

Georg brought his hand forward to move a strand of hair off of her forehead and his countenance became more serious. "And did I forget brave? Because that is the most important."

"Oh, Georg," Maria murmured. She sighed in comfort as she leaned her head toward his chest. "Do you really think I'm brave? Lord knows I don't feel that way sometimes."

"My dear, would a noble man like myself ever lie?" Georg said lowly with a soft smile.

Maria returned his gesture. "You don't have it in you to lie, Captain."

"And you don't have it in you to give up without a fight. In my book, I'd call it bravery."

Maria stared up into Georg's eyes. "I suppose. I'd probably call it stubbornness," she countered with a smile.

"I did mention that you are the most stubborn person I know as well, did I not?" Georg quipped with a smile.

Maria chuckled. "Many times, Captain."

With a more serious tone, she continued to speak. "In any case, I'm glad we're together at least."

Georg nodded in agreement.

"It's a challenge though," she said with a sigh. Maria held her gaze with Georg for a moment and then looking away, stared off absently into the night, "Trying to keep our spirits up when we don't know for sure if the children are safe or where we will end up. A true test of faith."

"Yes."

Georg urged Maria to face him again and brushed her temple with his lips. He leaned against the storage room door and motioned to Maria. She followed his lead and the couple remained motionless for a few moments, pondering what to do next.

"I don't know how I would have handled this without you. I can't even imagine being here alone with seven children. There'd be tears, tension, and worries that just seem to disappear when you're here," Georg told her with complete sincerity.

"They're strong children, Georg. Braver and more mature than I realized."

"Yes they are, but you bring it out in them. You'll never know what a blessing you are to this family, Maria. Let alone to this Sea Captain. I am scared to even think about the ornery person I would have been if I had to face this alone," Georg sighed, taking hold of Maria's hand and squeezing it tight. "Thank you."

Maria nodded her head and closed her eyes in thought. "I could never be anyplace but with you, no matter the circumstances."

Georg placed his arm around Maria's shoulder and the couple fell quiet for a moment, each staring off into the night.

Breaking the silence, Georg spoke in a gentle voice. "Well this has certainly changed my view of everything. I imagined us curled up in our bed, not roaming the streets of Salzburg, when I thought about our first night home as husband and wife. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a proper homecoming," he said apologetically, in a serious tone.

Maria leaned her head away from Georg's shoulder and turned to face him. She placed her index finger on her husband's lips and raised her other hand to run through his now tousled hair.

"Shh…," she whispered. "We're together and safe. That's all that matters." She gazed intently at Georg and saw how he diverted his gaze past her stare, guilt blatant on his countenance.

Maria raised both hands to either side of his head and urged Georg to look at her. With wide eyes and a modest smile she continued to speak. "And besides, we _were_ able to thoroughly christen our home while the children were out early this afternoon, were we not? Or was that not a proper enough homecoming for you, Captain?" she whispered coyly while softly smiling at Georg.

He leaned forward and left a light kiss on Maria's forehead. Moving his head back to meet her gaze, Georg stared intently at his wife. "I'll never forget how happy I was when I carried my beautiful bride up the stairs to our own bedroom."

Maria reached forward and gently stroked the length of Georg's arm with her fingertips as she returned his intense gaze. "I dreamed of that for weeks and God let my dream come true, giving us that time together. Nobody can ever take that away from us."

Georg placed his hand over Maria's to rest, as her fingers lingered on his forearm. Holding his wife's gaze for an eternity, he finally broke the silence. "We've had so many good memories at the villa," he recalled wistfully.

"And those memories will stay right here," Maria whispered while placing her hand to Georg's heart. "We're a family Georg, and will be no matter where we are."

Georg nodded.

"When we left tonight, we took all of our real valuables with us: our children, our love, our faith, and our memories. God will figure out everything else, Georg. He always does," Maria continued with a soft smile.

"Well, when you put it like that, I can't think of another way I would have ever wanted to bid our villa farewell," Georg said with a straight face, gazing at Maria with woe. He believed her words and knew they were full of truth, yet was still thinking of the worldly possessions they had left behind that he could no longer offer to his family.

Maria reached upwards and stroked Georg's cheek with compassion. The couple embraced and Georg gently rubbed Maria's back in the silence of the night. They both reflected on their situation and their next course of action.

After a moment, Georg moved his head back to look his wife in the eyes. He traced the outline of her nose and lips with his finger. "I don't deserve you."

"God seems to think otherwise. And for the record, so do I."

Georg opened his mouth to protest, but Maria held her hand up and opened her eyes wide, giving him a sidelong glance. Her look softened and she smiled. "I thought that by now you'd know better than to argue with me, Captain."

Georg's eyes twinkled and he chuckled with a slight shake of the head and roll of the eyes. "I wouldn't even dream of it, Fräulein. You're a tough fight, so I'll take your word for it this time."

Maria smiled for a moment and then became more serious. "God knows what He is doing. He brought us together at just the right time, because we both deserve and need each other, Georg. Remember that. Please?"

Georg nodded his head and pulled Maria toward him into his arms. As the couple stood in each other's presence, a train slowly pulled out of the station, causing them both to glance upwards in anticipation. Instinctively, they both knew that this was the train that the children should be on. Georg and Maria began scanning the windows for any glimpse of their family.

"I see them, Georg! In the rear cabin!" Maria cried, while embracing her husband around the waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

"They're safe," she breathed with a sigh of relief.

Several heads pressed up against the windows in the rear cabin caught Georg's attention, and amidst the many waving hands, he saw Emil. As he glanced at his friend, relieved that Emil was safely leading his children out of the country, Georg squinted his eyes to decipher something that his friend was mouthing to him.

"Oh look at them waving!" Maria exclaimed.

She clasped her hands together in relief and then followed the children's action and began waving to them. She walked a few paces, in an attempt to follow the now accelerating train, but just as quickly returned to Georg's side, knowing that the children would soon be out of view. Maria sighed as she watched the train go around a bend as it travelled at a steady pace out of the country to safety.

"Oh Georg, Gretl was blowing kisses to us! I miss them already" she sighed as her throat tightened. She looked off in the direction of the train that was barely visible in the distance, happy that the children were safe but longing to be together as a family again.

Her statement was met with silence.

"Georg?" Maria could not help but notice her husband's tense posture and his continued quietness. She lifted her head from his shoulder and glanced upwards at him, noting the tension and worry in his eyes.

"What is it?" she asked with surprise, taking hold of Georg's hand and placing her other hand to his cheek.

"We'll be together again soon. They're safe now, darling. That's the most important thing," she encouraged with a smile.

Exhaling deeply, Georg cast his gaze on Maria and stared into her eyes. "Did you see the expression on Emil's face and what he mouthed to us as they passed?" he asked Maria, utter fear evident in his tone.

With growing nervousness, she shook her head slightly.

"He said 'six' and held up the same number of fingers. I scanned the windows and saw six of our children, so we know they are safe, " he continued. "But Liesl wasn't there."


	6. Chapter 6

Liesl sat mutely in the rear seat of the Nazi vehicle between two soldiers and stared out the window into the darkness. The landmarks that passed were familiar and once dear to her; however, they now appeared unwelcoming and the joyous memories of her homeland seemed distant.

In the front seat, Herr Zeller and another soldier were conversing in low voices. Liesl narrowed her eyes and glanced in their direction, straining her ears to hear their grumbles, but to no avail.

A sudden jab in her shoulder interrupted her train of thought and Liesl quickly spun her head around to face the source of her distraction.

"Mind your ears!" Ludwig scolded while grasping Liesl's chin between his two fingers and forcing her to return her gaze to the window.

Liesl obeyed without protest and continued to stare out into the darkness as tears welled in her eyes.

"Is something wrong with Fräulein Von Trapp's ears, Ludwig?" Zeller questioned shrewdly, glancing in the rear view mirror at Liesl with a phoney smile.

Liesl turned away from the window upon hearing her name and met Zeller's stare in the mirror. "No, Sir. My ears are just fine," she retorted with a slight lift of her brow.

"Damn it, girl! I was not speaking to you," Zeller said icily.

"Ludwig, Viktor, put a stop to this," he continued as he slowly nodded his head and looked unrelentingly at Liesl's unwavering stare in the mirror.

"Yes, Sir," Viktor replied. The young Nazi reached into his inner coat pocket and removed a dirty handkerchief, which he forced around Liesl's head and into her mouth so that she could not speak. Ludwig grasped her shoulders as Viktor tightened the cloth around Liesl's head and secured it behind. She writhed in her seat, moaning in protest through a series of muffled cries. However, Liesl's bound arms prevented her from freeing herself from Ludwig's constraint.

Zeller grinned smugly as he again glanced in the rear view mirror and beheld Liesl's angry and terror-stricken glare once the cloth had been fully secured over her mouth. "Good. Now, I believe we were speaking of Fräulein Von Trapp's over-zealous sense of hearing," Zeller said cynically.

"In fact, I have no objections to her eavesdropping. Listen if you would like," he taunted while narrowing his eyes at her in the mirror. "After all, the Captain's daughter must be kept aware of how her father will be punished once we find him."

Liesl closed her eyes in anger and fear, urging her mind to believe that Zeller was merely threatening her and struggling to not succumb to his intimidation

"Ah yes, how shall he be punished once we find him? What would you suggest, hmm?" Zeller questioned Liesl with sarcasm. Again, he glanced in the rear view mirror and met Liesl's fear-stricken eyes. "Remember, he has caused a lot of trouble, so his punishment must be well-suited for his behaviour."

Liesl stared unrelentingly at Zeller in the mirror.

"There are plenty of prisons I know of that have handled deserters in the past. Too bad these prisoners are no longer here to warn the Captain of his fate, but their empty cells might tell the tale themselves."

Liesl looked away from Zeller's stare and took a deep breath, expelling some of her nerves. She had confidence in her father and knew that she must not let Zeller's torments bother her. However, the plaguing fear she could not deter was that Zeller might not _only _be threatening her.

Suddenly Zeller brought the vehicle to a halt and veered around to face the backseat. He reached toward Liesl and lifted her chin with his fingers. He held her face in his touch and lightly stroked her cheek in spite while he spoke, his voice a contrived gentle tone. "I have not doubt that the Captain will be back very soon."

Zeller smiled with victory and pushed Liesl's cheek roughly, causing the girl's head to turn abruptly to the side. "Ludwig, Johannes, take her inside and bring her to the cellar," he ordered his subordinates.

Ludwig and Johannes hailed their leader and nodded. The four Nazis stepped out of the vehicle. Viktor urged Liesl to a standing position and Johannes scooped her up into his arms as they stood in front of the Nazi headquarters.

They began to walk towards the entrance to the building when Zeller's orders resounded once more. "Ludwig, tell Schuhmacher and Grüber to guard her at all times. Keep her tied up, but do not forget that she is not to be harmed. At all," Zeller reiterated.

Ludwig nodded curtly.

Zeller slammed his car door shut and slowly walked towards Liesl. As he stood before her, he narrowed his eyes at the trembling girl. "We wouldn't want anything to happen to Captain Von Trapp's bait, would we?" he said smugly.

Liesl's heart raced and her breathing increased, despite knowing that Zeller did not plan to hurt her. She glanced down at the ground, not wanting to meet the Nazi's cold stare, and couldn't help but hope that Zeller kept his word and was merely trying to intimidate her.

"Now get going! You're dismissed!" he ordered his troops.

* * *

Maria and Georg stood motionless in the rear of the Salzburg Train Station, looks of disbelief on both of their faces. Maria's arm remained around her husband as the couple absently watched the train disappear into the darkness. The only sound filling the crisp night air was the puff of the train's smokestack as the Von Trapp children were carried further away from their parents.

Seemingly without emotion, Georg took Maria's hand and led her behind an out-of-service railroad car that was positioned alongside the train station. Their refuge hid them from any passers-by and the moonlight cast a soft glow on the partially shadowed couple.

Maria turned her gaze upwards to Georg, a puzzled and worried look upon her face. She placed a hand on his forearm and finally broke the silence. "Are you certain?" she whispered, narrowing her eyes with anxiety as she spoke.

Georg pulled Maria to him in a comforting embrace and placed his hands on her hips. He spoke with a flat voice. "Emil would not do anything to worry me unless there was good cause. There was no mistaking what he said."

Maria closed her eyes and took a deep breath upon hearing the dreaded truth. Words escaped her for a moment and the couple fell quiet once more.

"Maybe she's still in the train station?" Maria suddenly suggested, breaking the silence again.

"Yes. Yes, let's hope so. I hadn't thought of that. Come, let's go back inside and check," Georg said in reply, his tone renewed with hope.

Georg turned to Maria and saw that her eyes were closed and that she was looking Heavenward, silently mouthing a word of prayer. She crossed herself hurriedly and turned to her husband. "Ready," she said with a nod.

Georg took Maria's hand and squeezed it once. "Let's go. Stay right behind me."

The duo re-entered the storage room and crept through the stuffy area toward the door through which they had entered earlier. Georg moved the barrier he had placed in front of the entrance and held his hand up to Maria, ordering her to remain where she was. He peeked his head out the door and noted that nobody was on the stairwell.

Beckoning to Maria to follow his lead, Georg stepped into the illuminated landing. Maria reached forward and tugged on his shirt, causing him to turn around.

"Their platform was three flights up. We should check there first," she barely whispered.

Georg nodded his head and motioned Maria to follow him with his hand. "Let's hope nobody recognizes us, " he whispered.

They walked quickly up one flights of stairs in silence and halted at the bottom of the second flight when they heard footsteps and a fussing child approaching from above.

With no escape route, Georg turned to Maria and held both hands up, urging her to act casual. She opened her eyes wide and nervously cast him a questioning look. Georg held his finger to his lips and patted his right side to beckon Maria towards him. She shook her head absently, but placed herself close to him.

Georg leaned over to Maria and barely whispered into her ear, "Play along."

"All right," she said while grasping one of Georg's hands in her own and giving it a quick squeeze.

He tightened his grip on Maria's hand and put his other arm around her shoulder. He leaned close to her ear. "And pray that we aren't recognized."

"Of course," she answered with a serious nod. With one last fearful glance at each other, the couple continued their ascent. Maria closed her eyes for a quick prayer, and soon after murmured "Amen," under her breath.

The footsteps were getting louder and Maria could hear a man and a woman lowly conversing as they approached, and the sounds of a cooing baby. When the intruders' feet came into view, Georg squeezed Maria's hand tightly and he heard her inhale her breath sharply.

"On which platform are Jens and Gretchen arriving, darling?" Georg asked with contrived calmness. He met Maria's gaze and his eyes urged her to follow his lead.

"Um… platform four I believe."

"Yes, that sounds right. I am quite excited to see their children," he said while placing a kiss on Maria's temple.

"Gretchen tells me that Heidi is really no longer a baby. Asking all types of questions and keeping her mother very busy," Maria added with a forced smile.

Georg chuckled. "Yes, I have no doubt. She always was a frisky child."

Maria laughed in contrived response, although a hint of nervousness was present in her tone as she listened to the approaching footsteps growing louder. "Yes she was. I can't even imagine—"

As Maria and Georg reached the top of the landing, they were faced with a young couple and their toddler.

"_Guten abend," _Georg bid the couple with a friendly nod. Maria smiled and gave a quick tip of her head.

"_Guten abend_."

The young couple smiled and non-chalantly continued on their path, descending the stairwell. Georg and Maria froze once the intruders were out of view, listening to the echo of their footsteps becoming more distant.

Georg looked at his wife's nervous face and smiled. He raised a hand to her cheek and gently caressed her soft skin. "Don't worry. You were perfect."

Maria let out an exaggerated sigh and then slumped against the stair railing. "Well I'm sure they saw my heart beating through all of these layers of clothing."

Georg smiled. "You handled it well, Maria."

"We were lucky that time. What if they had recognized us?" she whispered.

Georg held a finger to her lip and took her other hand in his. "Shh. No 'what ifs'. Come on, let's go."

As Georg spoke to Maria he noticed that she had a strange look on her face and that she seemed to no longer be focused on their conversation. Her face was turned to the side and her wrinkled brow seemed to be in deep thought, oblivious to everything around her. Suddenly her hand dropped from Georg's grasp and she began to walk past him, down a few steps, as if in a trance.

"Maria, what is it?"

She continued to walk down another few steps and then stooped down low, her back to Georg.

"Maria?"

Maria stood up, still not facing Georg, and remained motionless. Her head was cast downwards and her hand was held in front of her, as if she was examining something. Georg could see the heaving of her shoulders as she breathed more rapidly than usual.

"Maria! What is going on?" Georg asked a third time.

Maria let her hand fall to her side and slowly turned to face Georg. The tension on her face showed her terror, although her eyes were glazed over with total compassion. Maria slowly walked up the few steps to Georg and reached for one of his hands. She squeezed it tightly and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and turning her gaze upwards to her husband's questioning stare. She opened her palm, revealing a gleaming object.

Georg stared at the shining trinket and the worry and fear that Maria saw surface on his face revealed his recognition of it. He reached his hand forward and picked the object up, gently caressing it with his thumb. Absently he opened the locket.

Georg read the inscription aloud, still stroking the golden necklace gently. "_'Happy 16TH Birthday, Dear Liesl_.' Her first grown-up piece of jewelry. She treasures it more than anything, since the day that I gave it to her."

Maria's shoulders slouched with sadness. "The chain is broken, Georg," she said with hesitation, not wanting to further upset him.

Silence filled the stairwell and Georg moved his attention to the delicate golden chain, noting the broken links. He moved his thumb over the damage and then suddenly looked upwards. His eyes were filled with worry.

"She'd never lose this on her own. They have her, Maria. I'm certain."

Maria closed her eyes and forced the lump that had formed in her throat to settle. She did not dare speak, out of fear that her emotions would erupt, so she merely gathered Georg in her arms and held him. He clung to her tightly, but neither spoke a word.

Breaking the silence, Maria removed herself from the embrace and touched Georg's chin so that he would meet her gaze. "We mustn't stay here. It isn't safe. Let's go back outside."

Georg nodded his head and took Maria's hand. "Follow me," he said and proceeded to lead her down the stairs, once again toward the rear of the train station.

The couple arrived outside without being seen and reassumed their hiding place behind the out-of-service railroad car, so that they would be hidden from view.

Maria approached Georg and placed her hand on his forearm. She could not, however, ignore his stiff posture and also noted the icy stare that had returned to his eyes.

"I can't believe this," he growled.

"I'm finding it hard to believe myself," Maria muttered with worry.

Georg took a half step away from her, turning slightly to the side and casting his gaze upwards into the darkness.

"How in the world could this have happened?" he scowled, the lines on his brow deepening and his eyes glazing over with ire.

"I wish I knew," Maria said with a shake of her head.

"He has my little girl," Georg muttered with a frown. He clenched his teeth and pursed his lips with fury. "Just the thought of that makes me sick to my stomach."

"Calm down, Georg."

"Well, I want her back, damnit!" he grumbled Heavenward.

"We'll find her. We just have to be strong and have faith," Maria urged her husband.

Georg chuckled sarcastically. "Much easier said than done. This should never have happened in the first place."

"But it did, and we will get through it," Maria said with encouragement. "I just know that we---"

"Zeller's a tough fight, Maria," Georg interrupted.

Suddenly, he turned around abruptly so that he was staring out into the darkness with his back to his wife. "Damn them, Maria! If they do anything to hurt her, I swear I will--!" he growled.

"Georg!"

"How could it have come to this?" he shouted into the night. He turned toward the railroad car and angrily slammed the palm of his hand against the cold metal. Leaning his head against the car, he remained stationary for a moment, allowing his anger to calm.

"I feel so helpless," Georg sighed, his temper back in check.

"Don't say that," Maria lowly told him. "You can't let Zeller get to you. It's what he wants."

Standing a few paces behind him, Maria observed Georg's back as he leaned against the deserted railroad car, his body stiff and immobile. She tilted her head to the side and watched with woe as her Sea Captain's shoulders slouched for a moment when he let his stoic façade dissolve. Just as quickly, he resumed his normal posture.

A moment of silence passed, and Maria continued speaking, noticing her husband's seeming lack of words.

"Zeller's threatened you in the past and it was just that. A threat. We must believe that this will not be any different," she urged him. She approached Georg and moved closer until she stood just behind him. She reached forward to gently place her arm around his waist and brushed his forearm with her fingertips.

"It _is _different because this time involves my family," Georg retorted with a step away from Maria's embrace. He inhaled a deep breath and his voice softened as he spoke. "I will never forgive myself if something happens to her, Maria."

"Georg…" Maria trailed, her voice soft with compassion.

"I've put my family in danger," he murmured while turning further away from Maria and walking a few paces in the direction of the children's train that had left.

"Look at me, Georg," Maria said in a stern voice. Reluctantly, he turned around and faced his wife, as she moved closer to him and took both of his hands in hers.

"You know we had no choice. The whole family would have been in danger if we had planned to stay in Austria," she urged him.

Georg nodded mutely with agreement and continued to look at Maria as she resumed speaking.

"Six of the children are headed safely out of the country and we will get Liesl," Maria softly vowed, her voice catching as she spoke.

Georg gently stroked Maria's hand, but diverted his gaze from her eyes as he contemplated his wife's words.

"You only did what seemed right at the time and blaming yourself will do no good," Maria continued in a soft voice.

Georg sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he met Maria's gaze, noticing that it was filled with sorrow and fear. He stared at her for an eternity. "You're right."

"We have to have faith that this is just another one of Zeller's threats."

"Yes, I know," he agreed, nodding his head. "He is just capable of so much and she's a sixteen-year-old girl. A young woman," Georg trailed, the fear in his voice evidencing his concerns.

Maria softly caressed the top of Georg's hand. "We'll get her back," she asserted as she reached upwards to touch his cheek.

"We'll find her, darling," Maria encouraged with a forced smile.

Georg squeezed Maria's hands and held them tightly while looking her in the eyes. His gaze was filled with love and trust. "I believe you," he whispered and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead.

Moving his head back to once again look Maria in the eyes, Georg's worry and fear disappeared from his countenance, and tenderness prevailed. "I know you are hurting too, Maria," he whispered, placing a soft kiss at his wife's temple.

Maria gently nodded and closed her eyes as she faced her husband. "I am," she confirmed in a low voice.

Instinctively Georg drew Maria to him in a comforting embrace. "We'll get our daughter back," he promised with a soft whisper in her ear.

Maria smiled and hugged Georg closer to her. "Yes we will," she agreed with confidence. She hesitated for a moment, reflecting on the seriousness of their situation.

"But how?" she posed quietly.

"Very carefully. We do not want to do anything to upset them," Georg stated with caution as he continued to weigh their options in his mind.

Maria laughed nervously. "Well, they're quite upset with us as it is."

"Yes, well we must be careful to not further upset them," Georg warned. He turned again toward Maria and she cocked her chin upwards to look at her husband.

"I must play Zeller's game, Maria. The only way to appease him at this point is to make him believe that I will join him, so that is what I must doy. I will need to be convincing," he stated as he rubbed his wife's shoulders in a comforting manner.

Maria nodded her head softly with understanding. "Whatever it takes to bring Liesl back. I'll support you with whatever you think is best."

Georg took Maria's face in his hands and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "We'll need some time to devise a plan, but we'll do what it takes," he assured both himself and his wife.

The couple stared at each other for a tense moment, knowing that they both meant what they spoke.

"May we go to the abbey?" Georg posed after some thought.

"It's not a far walk and we'll be safer there. We can make a plan," he suggested while gazing intently at his wife to note her reaction to the idea.

Without hesitation, Maria nodded with surety. "Yes. That's a good idea," she confirmed her husband's suggestion.

Georg placed his hand on Maria's chin and gently stroked her jaw line as he spoke. "We could endanger the Sisters, Maria," he added cautiously.

"Nobody is safe anymore," Maria countered with a sigh.

"They will not turn us away," she said with determination while taking Georg's hand in her own.

Georg smiled softly at his wife, knowing that their decision had been finalized. He placed a quick kiss on her lips and squeezed her hand tightly. "Come," he whispered as he led Maria into the night toward Nonnberg Abbey.


	7. Chapter 7

The obscurity of the dimly lit room and the cold, dank air made Liesl shiver as Johannes and Ludwig carried her down a narrow stairway to the cellar of the Third Reich headquarters. She sat stiffly in Johannes' grasp and the soldier dug his fingers into Liesl's back as he supported her weight in his arms.

"Too bad the Trapp Villa is still being rearranged to our liking or we'd have put you there. I'm sure you would have preferred to be someplace familiar," the Nazi said smugly.

Ludwig sniggered behind them. "Your father would be so proud, hmm?"

Liesl felt a lump form in her throat, but merely closed her eyes and urged herself to not cry out with despair. However, when Johannes jerked her to the side and caused her injured foot to hit against the concrete wall, she couldn't refrain from wincing in pain. Liesl felt tears well in her eyes as her foot throbbed, but bit her lip and forced herself not to succumb. Still bound at the wrists and mouth, she did not have much rebuttal against the Nazis' careless movements and intimidating comments. Instead, she focused her mind on remaining strong and trying to ignore their torments.

The group went through a low doorway into a dark room and Ludwig felt around for the light cord. He pulled the string, illuminating a single light bulb that hung from the ceiling.

Johannes placed Liesl to her feet. He grabbed her upper arm and pushed her forward, forcing her to walk. Liesl followed her orders, despite the pain in her ankle, and was led to a single chair.

"Sit down."

She obeyed.

"Ludwig, go find Grüber and Schuhmacher. I'll stay here with the girl," Johannes ordered.

Ludwig nodded his head in response. "Keep her entertained," he replied with a smirk and an evil laugh. Ludwig continued to stand still, amused at the girl's fearful reaction as his comrade walked towards her.

"I intend to." Johannes stooped down so that his face was level with Liesl's and he grasped her chin between his two fingers. With his other hand, he stroked her cheek with feigned gentleness while staring unrelentingly into her worried eyes.

"Such a pretty face," he whispered while continuing to stroke her cheek.

Liesl inhaled sharply at the soldier's sickening touch and lowered her eyes to her lap. Ludwig and Johannes filled the small room with their gruff laughter, amused that they could intimidate the girl so easily. In their minds, a true sign of her naiveté and weakness.

Ludwig turned and walked toward the doorway. He opened it to leave and then turned around once more to face his companion. "Keep the cloth over her mouth. Wouldn't want anyone to hear her cry out, would we?"

Johannes tightened his grip on Liesl's chin and moved his face closer to her so that his forehead was practically touching her brow. "No we wouldn't," he said in a threatening tone. He pushed her chin with his hand in a rough manner, causing her face to jerk to the side.

Ludwig let out a bout of low, despising laughter and turned around to leave the room.

Liesl could feel her pulse quickening and her heart racing, yet she urged her mind to calm, telling herself that the soldiers wouldn't really disobey their leader. However, she still felt intimidated by their threats and advances. Even if she tried not to outwardly show her worry, Liesl knew that nobody was here to make sure they followed their orders; a thought that she feared very much.

The door slammed as Ludwig left and with one last glance at Liesl, Johannes rose and crossed to the far end of the room. He turned his back to her, lit a cigarette and then began to thumb through a pile of documents on a desk. He remained in this stance until he finished smoking. After grinding the end of his cigarette into a filthy ashtray, he turned around and again approached Liesl.

She could smell the stale smoke that lingered on his clothing and breath as Johannes crouched down towards her. Liesl felt her pulse quicken as he reached forward and began to twirl a strand of her hair between his fingers. She inhaled sharply and felt a knot form in her stomach when Johannes' other hand moved to the side of her neck and began tracing circles behind her ear.

Joahnnes leaned his face close to Liesl, practically touching his lips to the cloth that bound her mouth. "You're teasing me with that pretty face. I know you wouldn't tell anyone if we disobeyed, would you?" he threatened.

He swept his hand down Liesl's neck and let it linger on her collarbone, before moving his other hand to her knee and running his fingers across her flesh. His thumb and index finger fondled the end of Liesl's slip as it peeked out from underneath her skirt.

"Does the Captain know his daughter is such a flirt?" Johannes whispered to Liesl as he returned his hand to her knee.

Liesl felt her heart racing and her hands trembling at the implication. She exhaled deeply, forcing the sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach to subside and her ire to grow. Suddenly, she thrust her bound arms downward, slamming Johannes' hand away from her leg. She heard it hit against the hard, metal chair.

"Damn!" Johannes spat, shaking his hand with fury to try to alleviate the pain.

Johannes glowered at her and clicked his tongue in scornful response. "Not a smart move at all." He lunged forward and slapped Liesl across the face.

"Get away from me!" she shrieked, a sound barely comprehensible due to the tightness of the cloth around her head. Her eyes glared with hatred and her face stung from the blow.

Johannes reached forward and grasped a handful of her skirt in his palm, kneading the material contemplatively. Liesl kicked her leg upwards, knocking his hand away from her skirt. Despite her injured ankle, she managed to get to her feet and tried to move toward the other side of the room; however, the Nazi grabbed her hair and forced her to turn around to face him once more.

"I wouldn't do anything else stupid if I were you. You haven't even seen my temper yet," Johannes scowled.

Liesl winced as the soldier tightened his grip on her hair and pulled her face closer to his. She pursed her lips and glared at her tormentor, noting that her breathing had become erratic in her fury and that her heart continued to race.

Voices at the door interrupted Johannes' concentration and he glanced upwards toward the entrance. It was pushed open and Ludwig entered first, followed by two other Nazi soldiers. Liesl was still in Johannes' grasp but was abruptly pushed downward toward the chair as the others turned to face them.

When the threesome shut the door behind them and stepped into the light, Liesl let out a gasp. Standing in front of her, staring wide-eyed and speechless at his charge was Rolf Grüber.

* * *

"Do you know her, Grüber?" Ludwig mocked upon seeing the boy's reaction to Liesl.

Rolf stared at Liesl for a second more and then narrowed his eyes with feigned indifference. He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Thought I did, but I was wrong. I might have delivered a telegram to her father once or twice, so maybe that's why she looks familiar."

Liesl felt sick; as if she couldn't breathe.

"Bet you'd _like_ to know her. Pretty little thing, isn't she?" Johannes asked with a wicked smile.

Rolf glanced once more at Liesl and his eyes softened for a moment, only to be replaced by a contrived stoic appearance. He nervously wiped his hands on his sides, but returned his gaze to Johannes upon hearing his name.

"Grüber?"

"She is. Even with _that_ over her mouth," Rolf agreed hesitantly while motioning to the cloth on Liesl's mouth. His voice caught slightly as he spoke and he cleared his throat loudly, causing Liesl to glance upwards toward him.

Johannes snickered at her action and approached Liesl from behind, placing his hands on her shoulders and lightly running his hands through her hair. Rolf stiffened at the gesture, but forced himself to keep his eyes on the soldier.

"I'm sure she'll tease you just like she did to me while we were alone, didn't you, young lady?" Johannes retorted. He crouched down at Liesl's side and ran his fingers over her cheek.

Liesl closed her eyes for a second and then stared straight ahead, urging her mind to ignore the soldier's torments. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she sensed the onlookers watching her.

Rolf looked at Liesl nervously.

"Who are you kidding, Müller?" he questioned Johannes. "She's not old enough to even know what you're talking about."

Johannes raised his eyebrow at Rolf and stood up, his attention diverted from Liesl for a moment.

"Not old enough, hmm?" Johannes repeated. "You understand, don't you, Grüber? You're about the same age as she is." He let out a mocking laugh and glanced at the others with amusement.

Rolf placed his hands behind his back and absently kneaded his fingers together. He glanced around at the three guffawing soldiers and caught another glimpse of Liesl, bound at the mouth and wrists, staring into her lap out of fear and embarrassment.

"If you don't, I'd be happy to explain it to you," Johannes continued with scorn.

"Funny, Müller," Rolf said sarcastically.

Johannes approached Rolf and placed both hands on the younger boy's shoulders. "Or maybe Schuhmacher can fill you in on the details? He'll explain the basics to you. Maybe you'll need it someday," Johannes taunted.

The two soldiers glared rigidly at each other for a moment before Rolf broke the concentration. Johannes continued to stare at Rolf, although the boy's eyes kept diverting from making contact with his superior.

Ludwig and Hans Schuhmacher stood in the corner watching the scene with amusement. They sniggered at Johannes' degrading comments and practically fell over with laughter at Rolf's naïve response.

Ludwig decided to break the silence. He walked over to Johannes and patted him firmly on the back. "Let's get out of here. The Gauleiter wants us in his office for a few minutes. Schuhmacher and Grüber can handle the girl for the night."

Johannes glanced once more at Rolf and then turned to Ludwig, motioning towards the door with his head. "Let's go."

The duo turned to leave and stood in the open doorway when Johannes turned around a final time. He smiled an evil grin at Liesl. "I'll see you soon."

Liesl felt her cheeks grow red with fury and forced herself to move her gaze to her lap until she heard the door slam shut. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she would not have to deal with Johannes for the rest of the night. Looking upwards, Liesl saw that Schuhmacher had approached the desk across the room and had picked up a cigarette.

She turned her head to the side and found Rolf looking at her with shame and pity. She met his gaze for a moment and felt tears well in her eyes, yet she continued to stare at him through the moisture that clouded her vision. When she saw him reluctantly turn away, Liesl kept looking at him with disbelief and took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves.

"Grüber, you got a light?" Schumacher called from across the room.

Rolf moved his gaze to Liesl once again and just as quickly turned away from her tear-filled stare. He reached in his pocket and fumbled around for a lighter.

"Did you hear me?"

Rolf pulled the lighter from his pocket and stood to his feet. "Sure, I've got one. Here." With one final glance at Liesl, Rolf held the lighter in his palm and crossed the room to Schuhmacher.


	8. Chapter 8

Georg and Maria approached the sideroad leading to the main entrance of the abbey and Georg touched Maria's arm, causing her to stop.

"Is there another entrance we should use at this hour?" he asked her.

Maria shook her head. "This is the only door with a bell. We'd have to climb some trees to get in any other way."

Georg squinted his eyes and gave her a questioning look. "Well then. I suppose we'd startle them either way," he said while taking Maria's hand and leading her the last few meters to the door.

Georg reached upwards and rang the doorbell. The loud noise seemed to pierce the stillness of the night and Maria absently glanced behind them in response.

"Sister Berthe's bedroom is the closest. She'll hear us even if she's sleeping," Maria whispered while nervously tapping her foot on the ground. She glanced over her shoulder a second time.

Georg placed his arm around Maria and leaned over to brush her temple with his lips. "Shh, no fidgeting, all right?"

Maria smiled softly. "I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time."

Georg rubbed her shoulder in comfort. "We'll get through this."

Maria glanced upwards at him and nodded her head with seriousness. She leaned forward toward Georg and he placed another light kiss on her forehead.

Suddenly, a dim stream of light shined into the corridor, followed by the bustle of approaching footsteps. Maria rushed forward, placing her hands on the gated entrance, and craned her neck to see inside the abbey. Georg stepped a pace forward until he stood just behind his wife and put his hands on her arms.

Through the darkness, Maria could see two silhouettes and could hear the jingle of keys as Sister Berthe and the Reverend Mother scurried toward the door. The two women looked nervously at each other and quickened their pace when they recognized their visitors.

"Maria, Captain. What is it?" the Mother Abbess asked with concern, upon reaching the couple and noticing the troubled expressions upon their faces.

Sister Berthe fumbled with the lock and was finally able to get it unlatched. She pushed the gate open and Maria and Georg hurried into the safety of the abbey. Sister Berthe closed the gate behind them again and locked it securely.

Maria rushed forward and took the Reverend Mother's hands in her own and Georg followed behind.

"Forgive us for disturbing you at this hour. We've come seeking shelter for the night. We've no place else to go," Georg said, glancing between both women.

"They have our eldest, Mother," Maria whispered as tears filled her eyes, never moving her gaze from the Mother Abbess. Georg rubbed Maria's arms in comfort and she took a deep breath, urging her emotions to suppress.

Both Sister Berthe and the Reverend Mother looked upwards to Georg with confusion. He glanced between them and nodded. "The Nazis want me to fight in their Navy. We tried to get away tonight; to flee the country. But they got to Liesl and are holding her with the hope of getting to me that way. We need a place to devise a plan to get her back."

The Reverend Mother nodded without hesitation and her eyes glazed over with sorrow.

"She's only sixteen years old," Georg continued. He met the Mother Abbess' gaze for a moment and the worry and fear in his eyes showed how much he was hurting.

"Where are the other children?" Sister Berthe asked Maria, concern evident on the nun's face.

"They're safe," Maria said with a relieved nod.

Sister Berthe took a step forward and placed her hand atop Maria's, squeezing it in solace. Georg moved his gaze to Berthe and rubbed his wife's back absently with his palm for a moment.

"We don't mean to inconvenience you in any way, but we have no other option. We could stay in separate rooms if it will be a problem," Georg said earnestly while meeting the elder woman's gaze again.

"Nonsense," the Reverend Mother answered with a shake of her head. She took one of Georg's hands and placed it on top of Maria's and then placed her own two hands around them. "You need to be together tonight. All of God's blessings are reverenced here in the abbey and the sacrament of marriage is a blessing in God's eyes. Sister Berthe, show Maria and the Captain to one of our guest rooms."

"Certainly," the nun replied.

Georg and Maria both nodded and smiled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Mother," Maria whispered sincerely.

The Mother Abbess nodded softly and returned her attention to the other nun. "And bring something to eat for them as well. They'll need their strength."

Sister Berthe nodded.

"Oh Mother, we needn't any food. The shelter you're providing us is enough and we –," Maria started.

The Reverend Mother held her hand up, ceasing Maria's protests. She looked tenderly at the stubborn young women and then moved her gaze to Georg. "It's our pleasure. Your strength is important. It's the least we can do for you."

Georg grasped her hand and smiled. "Thank you."

Sister Berthe moved forward, beckoning Maria and Georg to follow her. Georg took Maria's hand in his and stroked her skin gently. He nodded a respectful farewell to the Reverend Mother, and the trio turned to walk towards the guest quarters.

As they began to walk away, the Mother Abbess spoke once more, piercing the silence of the night. "Maria, Captain."

The couple veered around to face the elderly woman. She approached them and took each of their hands in her grip. "Remember, 'You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.'"

"Thank you, Mother," Maria said while quickly embracing her and returning her hand to the elder woman's palm.

The Reverend Mother squeezed both Georg and Maria's hands in comfort. "Rest, my children."

"Thank you," Georg said with sincerity before taking his wife's hand and leading her down the corridor after Sister Berthe.

* * *

Liesl sat motionless in the dark hideaway and stared straight ahead at the clock on the wall, watching time slowly pass. It seemed easier to stare mindlessly at an inanimate object than to look at the boy who had betrayed her heart and country. She could hear muffled voices coming from the other side of the room, but her preoccupied mind kept her from eavesdropping.

Hans Schuhmacher crossed the room and stood only a few meters in front of Liesl. He was finishing up another cigarette and the smoke wafted toward Liesl as he approached, causing her to stifle a cough from behind her gag. The Nazi inhaled a mouthful of smoke and glanced at his charge. Exhaling slowly, Schuhmacher threw the end of his cigarette on the ground, crushing it with his foot.

"You _are_ allowed to sleep," he gruffly told Liesl with sarcasm, his eyes never faltering. As he spoke, he motioned to a bare cot in the corner of the room, beside a small sink and a curtained toilet.

Liesl turned her gaze upwards and raised her eyebrow at the soldier. With a knowing look, she nodded at him without moving her eyes from his face.

"Unless you'd prefer to sit here all night," Schuhmacher continued.

Liesl did not move, but kept her gaze fixed on the soldier's face.

The Nazi moved closer to Liesl and crouched down to her level. "You're a stubborn little thing, aren't you?" he chided while clicking his tongue.

He continued to stare at the defiant girl for a moment before moving his gaze to his companion. "Grüber? You tired yet?" he called across the room. As he spoke, Schuhmacher rose and stretched his arms.

Rolf glanced at him and shook his head, the other's fatigue obvious, and he himself not feeling quite tired yet. In the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of Liesl, but forced himself to not focus on her.

"I'm taking first shift then. I'll be back soon. Can you handle the girl for a while?"

Rolf glanced at the clock, noting the time, and then looked quickly at Liesl before returning his gaze to Schuhmacher. "Sure. I'll keep an eye on her."

The younger soldier walked past Liesl and approached Schuhmacher, who now stood by the door. Rolf faced his superior and absently wiped his hands on his sides. Schuhmacher patted him on the back with a firm hand and grinned roguishly. "Behave yourself, kid."

The elder Nazi left and Rolf stood still for a moment staring at the door and not daring to face Liesl. When he finally looked behind him, he found her staring straight ahead, her posture stiff and unmoving; her eyes glazed over with pain.

Rolf stared at the image and felt his shoulders slouch at the sight. Just as quickly, he straightened his back, walked to a nearby sofa and picked up a book. He opened it in his lap and absently stared at the pages for a few minutes before closing it and returning his gaze to Liesl.

Rolf rose and walked toward the desk on the opposite side of the room. He took down a picture that was hanging above the piece of furniture and removed a key that had been taped to the back. Walking to the door once more, he used the key to secure the lock. Rolf took a deep breath, turned toward Liesl and walked to her. "Let me see your hands," he said in a low voice with a sigh.

Liesl continued to stare straight ahead and her eyes glistened with fresh tears.

"Hold out your hands, Liesl," he repeated.

Her breathing deepened but she continued to stare obstinately straight ahead without moving, the moisture in her eyes increasing.

Rolf shook his head slightly with impatience. He reached forward and grasped the cloth behind Liesl's head, which startled her. He pulled the end, causing it to fall to the floor.

Rolf's eyes softened for a minute when he saw the red abrasions on Liesl's cheek from the cotton that had been tightly bound around her head. However, he quickly regained his feigned austere demeanor.

"Now hold out your hands," he said for a third time, "unless you'd rather stay like _that_." He motioned his chin to Liesl's bound wrists.

She sighed deeply and held her wrists out in front of her without emotion. Her gaze stayed focused straight ahead

Rolf untied the cloth, letting it fall to the ground beside the other one in a small pile. He glanced nervously toward the door for a second and then stepped backwards and sat down on the sofa again. "I'll have to put them back on in a little while," he said hesitantly.

Liesl looked down toward her lap and began to rub her chafed wrists to alleviate the pain. Suddenly she looked upwards, sensing that she was being watched, and noticed that Rolf was looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

Liesl dropped her arms to her lap and pointed to the bruises. "Look Rolf! Look at what they've done to me," she said bitterly, her eyes clouded with anger, but unable to hide the sadness.

Rolf did not speak for a few moments, yet diverted his eyes from Liesl's persistent glower.

Suddenly he returned his attention to her again and looked her in the eyes. "Listen to me. You have to just go along with what they say, Liesl, and keep quiet. There's no choice anymore," he said firmly.

Liesl was startled by the seriousness she heard in his voice and the fear she saw in his eyes. However, she shook her head with indignation nonetheless. "There's _always_ a choice," she retorted.

"Only if you're extremely careful and lucky. Most people aren't," Rolf countered. He looked at her with an air of seriousness, which ceased any additional protests Liesl had. "Just remember this."

She stared blankly at him for a while, pondering his vague words that ironically seemed so clear as she thought about the trauma her family had gone through tonight only to have some of them escape and some left behind. Liesl glanced down to her lap and silence filled the room.

"Is your family all right?" Rolf asked quietly, breaking the silence, the nervousness in his voice obvious and the kneading of his hands further proving this.

Liesl shot her gaze upwards. "Why would you care?" she snapped while narrowing her eyes at him.

"You know your father has always intimidated me, but I've never wished any harm on him or the rest--"

"That doesn't mean anything to me now, especially seeing you wear that!" Liesl interrupted while pointing to the Swastika on Rolf's sleeve. She moved her head to the side and raised her nose slightly in the air.

Rolf absently placed his hand over the insignia on his uniform. "You must know that they are all looking for him, right? They only want him, Liesl, not the family. Nobody will be hurt if he complies. He has to---" he trailed, noting Liesl's unyielding demeanor and knowing that he had lost her trust completely.

He stared at her profile for a moment before rising to his feet and walking past Liesl to gather the fallen cloths from the ground. Rolf glanced upwards at the clock and realized that Schuhmacher would soon be returning. He turned to face her and held the cloths out in front of him. "I should put these back on now," he whispered with hesitation, almost reluctantly.

Liesl felt tears begin to well in her eyes again and took a deep breath to urge them away. "Of _course_ you should," she replied in a whisper, her voice filled with sarcasm. Seemingly without emotion, she held out her arms in front of her.

Almost awkwardly, Rolf grasped Liesl's arms and once again bound her wrists. He held the second cloth in his hand and reached toward her to fasten it around her head. As his hands touched her hair, Rolf took a deep breath and dropped his arms to his side. He threw the piece of fabric on the floor and once more reached for the cloth he had just secured around Liesl's wrists. He fiddled with the knot and again removed this cloth, casting it on the ground atop the other.

"Get some sleep. They didn't say you had to wear them to bed," Rolf whispered while motioning towards the pile. Liesl turned to face him with wide eyes of surprise.

She stood up, walked to the narrow cot that was to be her bed for the night, and rolled down the thin sheet. Turning toward Rolf again, Liesl saw that he had resumed his position on the sofa and had picked up a notebook. She tilted her head to the side and observed him as he knitted his brow in confusion and yawned, obviously not very captivated by the object. Absently, he rubbed his neck and released a deep sigh that unmistakably was laced with sadness.

For a brief moment, Liesl was with the old Rolf again. She yearned to cry out to him and let him know that her family was safe, but instantly snapped out of her reverie, knowing that politics had changed everything they ever had together.

Feeling that he was being watched, Rolf turned around and saw Liesl watching him. He stared at her for a moment and noted the despondency in her eyes. "Goodnight, Liesl," he said softly.

She continued to look at him and could not help but notice the confusion in the boy's eyes. Although he was wearing the same uniform as the other soldiers, he just did not look comfortable in it as they did. "Remember, Rolf. There's _always _another choice if you are willing."

Rolf gazed at Liesl and his eyes told her that he believed what she had said, but also that he was fearful of her words. He nodded gently. "Sleep well."

Rolf returned his attention to the notebook with a large Swastika on the front and began to thumb through it as he awaited Schuhmacher's return. He finally felt tired and hoped that the other soldier would be back soon so that he could also get some sleep. Casting one last glance at Liesl, Rolf noticed a few minutes later that she had let her weariness overcome her for the night.


	9. Chapter 9

Georg closed the door and crossed the narrow room to the night table beside the bed.  He placed the tray of food that Sister Berthe had just delivered onto the table and prepared something to eat for both Maria and himself.

Noticing that his wife was very quiet, Georg turned around and found Maria standing at the single window, staring outside into the night.  She had her arms crossed in front of her and was absently rubbing her upper arms with her fingers.

"Are you cold, darling?" he asked. 

Maria nodded her head vaguely, never removing her gaze from the window.  "It's always been a bit chilly here.  I'd forgotten," she murmured, turning to face Georg.

Georg glanced at the kerosene heater in the corner of the room.  "It'll warm up a bit once the heater turns on," he said with a serious look in his eyes, although he knew that nerves, and not the temperature, were affecting his wife tonight.

"I suppose," Maria answered absently, once more moving her gaze to the window.  She stared out into the night as she reminisced aloud.  "It's amazing how calm everything looks from the outside, isn't it?  I mean from here Austria looks the same as it always did, but we know that it is so different."

Maria turned to face Georg, a look of utter sadness on her face.  "How will we ever get her back?  I've had so many ideas the whole way here, but just can't think of anything that seems promising."

Georg walked towards Maria and touched her shoulder.  She instinctively moved into his embrace, needing to feel the strength that they created together.  Maria sighed peacefully as Georg caressed her cheek with the back of his palm; as always, his mere presence soothed her. 

"We have all night to think of something, Maria," he reassured her.

Maria sighed deeply.  "I know.  And I have hope that we'll _find_ her, but when it comes to actually figuring out _how_, I feel somehow, uh, overwhelmed."

Georg gave her a sidelong glance, trying to lighten her spirit.  "Fräulein Maria, overwhelmed?" he quipped. 

Maria released another exasperated sigh and nodded her head slowly, as if confessing a deep secret.

Georg touched her cheek with his hand and brushed a strand of hair off of her forehead.  "I used to feel that way in the Navy.  I knew _what _needed to be done and had hope that we'd succeed, but devising the strategy was _always_ the most difficult part."

"Yes, that's it exactly."

Georg rested his hand on Maria's cheek and she pressed her face to it.  "We'll think of something together.  And if we come up against an obstacle, we'll handle it.  Sometimes instinct is just as powerful as the plan."

She nodded, her face ashen and her eyes tired.  "I just can't stop thinking about Liesl that's all.  She's completely alone tonight; frightened and worried.  I've never felt such sadness, Georg; such emptiness," Maria confided as she gazed wide-eyed at her husband.

He took her in his arms and rubbed her back softly.  "You're a true mother, Maria."

"I knew I loved all of them so much, but I'd never felt it so strongly before; until one of them was gone.  I'd let them take me instead if it would mean she'd be safe," she sighed.

"But I wouldn't," Georg whispered, holding her close.  "I want you both and I'll get my wish no matter the consequences.  My family is more important than anything."

Maria closed her eyes as her head rested under Georg's chin, savouring the safety she felt in his arms and believing him completely.  "…Than anything," she murmured in agreement, moving her head away from his chest and meeting his gaze.

"I'll do whatever it takes to have her safely back to us," Maria sighed.

"I know, darling.  I know," he said with equal solemnity.  Georg leaned forward and kissed Maria's forehead.

The couple remained silent for a moment, both thinking about their next move and what would have to be done to get their daughter back.  Suddenly, Georg looked down at Maria and his eyes showed a hint of renewed spirit.  "I've an idea that I would like to get your thoughts on.  Come have some of this food the Sisters brought to us and I'll tell you." 

"What is it?" Maria asked eagerly upon noticing the spark of hope and determination in her husband's eyes.

Georg tapped Maria on the end of the nose.  "Always so impatient.  Just come sit down and I'll tell you while we eat.  It'll be good for you to have some food.  Your face looks so pale, darling."

"I'm just worried, that's all," she said with a shrug.

"And being on your feet for hours without any rest or nourishment is also part of the problem," Georg said with a knowing look.  "Come eat something, Maria.  Please.  You'll need your strength tomorrow."

Maria smiled with defeat.  "I'm really not hungry, but all right."

Georg dropped his arms and reached out for her hand.  He took it and led her to the bed, urging her to sit down on the edge.  Crossing the room, Georg moved the lone table and chair that sat near the door toward the bed.  He removed the tray of food from the nightstand and placed it on the table in front of Maria.  With one last glance around the room, he took a seat on the chair across from her. 

"Voilà.  Dinner for two," he announced while grasping Maria's hand and gesturing to the impromptu set up.

She smiled softly at his chivalry.  "It's perfect.  Now go on and tell me your idea," Maria said with eagerness.  However, despite her efforts, the events of the night had drained her voice of all energy and her fatigue could not be hidden. 

"All right.  I'd like to ask to borrow one of the caretaker's cars from the Abbey," Georg began, raising his eyebrow and giving Maria a look that encouraged her thoughts on the matter.

"It will not be a problem," she assured him with a confident shake of the head. 

"Very well.  Let's ask the Reverend Mother in the morning and get an early start.  We'll leave together and drive to the _Rathaus_; or as some now refer to it, 'the Nazi Quarters'," he said dryly while meeting his wife's gaze.

"That's where they are?" Maria asked him with surprise.

Georg nodded his head stiffly and sighed with disbelief.  "Yes, even our Town Hall is contaminated," he said wryly.

"Where will this end?" Maria asked aloud.  Not waiting for an answer, she turned to the window and gazed outside with woe.  "Even the Abbey isn't safe anymore.  I can't believe that it's come to this."

With a loud sigh, Maria turned her attention back to her food and absently began running her spoon through it.  "I'm sorry, Georg, go on with your idea," she told him with a small apologetic smile before returning her attention to her full plate.

Georg reached across the table and touched her cheek softly.  "Yes, well I'd like to leave early so there's plenty of time to get there if I encounter any problems along the way," Georg continued.

Maria stopped pushing the untouched food around and laid her spoon on the saucer in front of her.  She turned to Georg and their eyes locked. 

"If _we_ encounter any problems," she corrected him.  Maria realized the danger that lay ahead of them, but knew that she would do everything in her power to ease some of Georg's burden.  To her, this and safely getting Liesl back were more important than anything else.  In her mind, there was no other option; she would conquer any obstacle they came up against, alongside her husband.

Georg continued to stare intently at his wife.  "Forgive me.  Yes, _we_.  But, Zeller should be expecting only me to return."

Maria took a sip of tea, not even really tasting the liquid as it went down her throat.  Never removing her eyes from Georg, she cast him a look of understanding as she drank.  She returned her cup to the saucer and absently began to circle her finger around the rim.

"And what he mustn't know is that you are with me - that I have help- or we'll be putting both of our lives in extreme danger," he continued while gazing intently at his wife.

"Yes, I know," Maria replied with a serious nod.  "But where will I be then?"

Georg held his index finger up at Maria, urging her to have patience.  "I'm getting to that.  What I was thinking is that we'd leave the car in town, within walking distance of the Nazis.  The car belongs to the Abbey, so it won't be connected to us if found, but should go unnoticed in that alley behind _Schwarzstrasse_."

Maria nodded and took Georg's hand as encouragement when he continued to speak.

"I'd like for you to wait in the car for me.  I will go to Zeller myself and pretend to surrender in exchange for Liesl.  Once I escape, we'll meet you—"

"Georg," Maria cut him off, "just how do you expect to do all of this on your own?  Zeller will surely not let you out of his sight after he has you," she stated with concern.  Suddenly, she shivered and placed her hands around her teacup to try to warm herself up.

Noticing his wife's shudder, Georg moved to sit beside her on the bed.  He placed his arm around her and she leaned into him.  Georg ran his fingers briskly over Maria's arm in an attempt to warm her up.

After a moment of silence, Maria looked upwards towards her husband with troubled eyes.  She shook her head slightly as she spoke.

 "I'm sorry, but I can't sit back and let you attempt to conquer this on your own.  We've gotten this far already, Georg.  Together.  I refuse to watch from the car window as you walk into danger, without any help," she asserted with a frustrated shake of her head.  With a sigh she stood up and walked a few paces from him.

Georg turned his gaze upwards and stared off absently toward the far end of the room, contemplating Maria's words.  Given his inclination to be in control, he wished that his wife would just accept his plan without question or doubt.  Yet, his common sense and his heart were telling him that she was right.

"I know you're brave, Maria, and I admire that about you.  You're just as involved in this as I am, but you don't know what the thought of anything happening to you does to me.  It tears me apart inside just thinking about it," Georg confided in a low voice.

Maria locked her eyes with his.  "_Of course _I know what it does.  How could I not?" she whispered.

The couple held each other's gaze for what seemed like an eternity before Georg lowered his eyes.  "You're just as worried about me as I am about you and it was silly of me not to realize this.  I'm sorry," he said to Maria in a soft voice.

Maria walked toward Georg.  She reached toward him and brushed his cheek with the back of her palm, silently showing her acceptance of his apology.  "Just include me, Georg.  Please.  I need to be by your side," she implored while continuing to tenderly caress his skin.

Georg stared into Maria's pleading eyes for a moment, trying with all of his will to find some reason to deny her request.  However, his only rationale for this seemed to be out of selfishness.  Given how much Maria had already helped him and the confidence that he had in her, Georg's heart kept overpowering his mind, telling him that he should relent.

With a sigh, he broke the silence and conceded  "There's that stretch of brush to the right of the _Residenz_p_latz_ where you can hide while I go inside.  It's close enough to the _Rathaus_ for you to hear any disruptions and keep a lookout, but also near the car, in case you need to escape."

Georg took Maria's hand in his and patted it with confidence.  He removed the pistol and dagger from his waist, and placed them on the table next to them.  He looked at her intently as he continued speaking. "I want you to take these.  They'll search me immediately when I turn myself in and take all of my weapons, so I want you to keep them."

Maria nodded slowly and looked at Georg with wide eyes, understanding how serious his statement was and not denying the anxiety that suddenly consumed her.  "I'll keep them with me so they're available for us," she said hesitantly. 

She glanced downward toward the floor, somehow ashamed that they might actually need to use a weapon.  However, knowing that it might be the difference between safety and protection for her family, Maria looked upwards and met her husband's gaze.  "That is, only if we need to use them, of course."

Georg looked into Maria's eyes.  "Of course," he said with an air of solemnity.  The couple continued to gaze at each other until they were certain that they understood each other and were in agreement.  "I'll give them to you to hold tomorrow."

Maria nodded.  "What happens once you surrender to Zeller?"

"If he knows what's good for him, he'll release Liesl right away and you'll see her when she goes outside.  I know for a fact that the only exit from the _Rathaus_ grounds is on _Bergstrasse_, near where you'll be hiding.  So she'll end up there, even if she leaves the building another way.  When you see her, both of you run to the car, start the ignition and wait for me," Georg instructed.

Maria gave her husband a sceptical look and raised her eyebrow.  "And just how, may I ask, will you escape?  And Zeller may not release Liesl.  I wouldn't put it past him.  What then?"

"Maria, I'm not going anyplace until my child is safely out of there," Georg retorted.  He absently walked across the room, and began to pace the area between the window and the door.

"Georg, I know what you want, but wanting and doing are two different things.   I'm not doubting that this _could_ work, but without you having any protection and not having a backup plan, I'm just very nervous about all of this," Maria admitted while staring at her husband's profile as he brooded across the room. 

Georg stood silent for a moment, reflecting on Maria's words, and his frown suddenly softened.  "Well, I will have this with me," he told her while reaching into his inner jacket pocket and removing an object.  He walked towards her and held out his hand.  In it was a thin silver pen.  

Maria narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side with confusion.  She looked at Georg with a puzzled expression, silently asking for clarification.

Georg removed the cover from the pen and Maria stared at the pointed ink cartridge within.  The sharp object gleamed in her husband's hand as he held it out for her.

"That's the pen you always have in your pocket," Maria stated with a shrug.

"It's not much, but any sharp object can offer some protection if needed," Georg explained.

"Oh, I see," Maria said with a low gasp of understanding.

"I'll stick it through the inside fabric of my sleeve and keep it at my wrist.  It's so thin that hopefully they won't find it and take it from me."

"I never thought I'd find comfort in knowing that my husband is carrying a weapon," Maria said softly, while locking eyes with Georg.

"Remember, only as a last resort, Maria," he comforted her as he placed his fingers on her chin and cocked her face upwards.  He stared at her with an intensity that left no room for doubt on her part.

"I believe you," she said in a low voice.  Narrowing her eyes in thought, she continued speaking.  "While you're with them, is there anything I could do from outside?  Perhaps create a disruption of some kind."

He met her gaze and his eyes bore deep into hers.  "Would you fire a gun, darling?" Georg suddenly asked.

Maria's eyes widened at the inquiry and she felt her hands begin to tremble with nerves.  She absently leaned against the edge of the table and cast her gaze downwards to the ground.  "Well I suppose…. If it's, if it's what must be done…As long as—" she trailed in a flustered tone as the color drained from her face.

"No, no.  Not _at _someone.  Just as a diversion," Georg reassured her, sensing what was causing her distress.  He reached towards his wife, urging her away from the table and leaning against it himself.  He beckoned for her to lean against him and took her in his arms.  Gently, he rubbed her back, grateful to feel her quivering settle and to see her face resume a more normal complexion.

Maria smiled shyly at her misunderstanding.  "Well in that case, I should mention that every farm girl has fired a gun at least once, and I'm no exception.  It just wasn't at anything, so I can't promise that my aim is something to brag about," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Really? You've fired a gun?" Georg asked, surprised at her answer.

"Would I completely shock you if I said yes?" Maria smiled upon seeing the stunned look on her husband's face.  "After all, we needed something to frighten away all those blasted crows."

Georg chuckled heartily and leaned forward to kiss Maria's temple.  "Well, I must say again what I've said in the past; you're full of hidden talents, Maria."

"And there are so many more for you to discover," she said softly.

"I look forward to it, my love," Georg whispered with a small smile and twinkling eyes. 

"Now, here's what I'm thinking you could do, if you're comfortable with it.  After I've been inside for a few minutes, aim as best as you can into the air and fire.  The noise will surely create a disruption and I will be able to escape with Liesl during the chaos.  If they've already let her go, I'll just escape on my own and meet you both outside.  After you fire and your hear the chaos start to break out, make _certain _that you run to the car immediately and have it ready to leave when I arrive.  If Liesl isn't out by then, he probably hasn't released her so just go to the car and I will worry about that," he said in complete seriousness.

Maria moved her gaze away from Georg's face to ponder his suggestion.  Her eyes sparked with a glimmer of hope, but were still clouded with fright.

"I have confidence in you, darling.  You can do this for us.  For Liesl," he encouraged her.

Maria stared straight ahead without speaking, deep in thought, for a moment.  She knitted her brow and Georg watched as her face changed from a look of apprehension to one of total faith.

"What do you think?  It's important that we're both comfortable with this plan," Georg persisted.

Maria kept quiet for a moment longer, contemplating their plan, and then turned to face her husband.  She nodded slowly, the worry completely faded from her face and only bravery and determination showing.  "Well, it's at least worth a try.  I think it will work."

Georg leaned toward Maria and brushed her temple with his lips.  "So do I," he whispered.  

Placing his forehead against Maria's, Georg continued to speak.  "But promise me you'll be careful.  I meant what I said about anything happening to you, Maria.  I can't even bear to think about it."

"You have my word, Captain.  I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you," she whispered.  Instinctively, she tightened her embrace around Georg's neck and drew him towards her in a hug, savoring his closeness. 

After a moment, Georg moved his face backwards and just stared in wonderment at his beautiful wife, thinking about how he couldn't imagine being in this situation without her by his side.  He brushed a strand of hair from Maria's forehead and looked into her tired eyes. 

She stifled a yawn and picked Georg's arm up to look at his wristwatch.  Maria sighed when she noticed the time, feeling as if they had been awake for so long yet also not believing that so much had happened in a few hours.

"Now don't take this the wrong way, but can I bring you to bed, darling?" Georg asked in a loving tone as he raised his arms and repositioned himself to gently massage Maria's stiff shoulders.

She smiled softly.  "I'm much too tired to take that the wrong way."

Georg leaned forward, holding Maria's shoulders with his two hands, and placed a kiss on her hair.  His face became more serious and he turned her around to face him.  "I have so much on my mind tonight and sleep seems the least of our problems right now.  But, we'll appreciate it in the morning if we can get a few hours of rest."

Maria sighed deeply and nodded.  "I know.  It doesn't seem I'll be able to clear my mind long enough to sleep, but my aching body is telling me otherwise.  A few hours will do both of us some good."

Georg looked backwards and surveyed the narrow bed.  He raised his brow and returned his attention to Maria.  He frowned slightly with disappointment.  "I didn't know beds came that narrow.  I suppose that's why this room is meant for one.  Shall I be a gentleman and let you have the whole thing?  This chair seems quite comfortable," Georg said with feigned optimism.

Maria smiled softly at his chivalry.  Her eyes moistened as she looked at her husband; feeling the pain and emptiness that were in her own heart, and seeing the same emotions in Georg's eyes as she watched him.  "Just hold me close tonight, Georg.  I need you by me."

Georg gathered Maria in his arms and stroked her back with his fingers.  He looked into her eyes and stroked her face as he spoke.  "So do I.  We'll only get through this together, Maria."

She closed her eyes in relaxation and opened them again slowly to look at the man she had vowed to stand beside for the rest of her life. "'For richer and for poorer, in good times and bad,'" she mused aloud.

"I love you," Georg declared with a distinct seriousness in his voice.

"And I love you," Maria said softly.

"Let's get some sleep, Baroness," Georg whispered while taking Maria's hand and leading her to the bed.

The couple fell asleep in each other's arms for a few hours, anxious for what was to come the next day, but also feeling a sense of peace about their plan, their trust in each other and their faith giving them strength.


	10. Chapter 10

Early the next morning, Liesl awoke with a start to the sound of the door slamming open. She bolted to an upright position in the darkness; the faint light from the hallway and a dim candle across the room were the only sources of illumination.

Squinting her eyes and looking toward the doorway, she saw two silhouettes enter the room. They began to walk in her direction and she recognized them as Herr Zeller and Johannes. Liesl stared wide-eyed at the duo and felt that instinctively, she had started to tremble.

"Get up," Zeller ordered her. He beckoned to Johannes with his chin to hurry Liesl along.

Liesl noticed Zeller's gesture and glanced toward Johannes. Meeting her gaze, he cast her an evil smile that made her stomach knot, and reached his hand forward, grasping her arm with force. Johannes yanked Liesl to her feet roughly and thrust her forward toward the chair that she had occupied the evening before.

She regained her balance and shook Johannes' hand off of her arm with an abrupt movement. The anger in her eyes was apparent as she looked behind her and met his stare for a brief moment.

Herr Zeller sniggered at the display and walked towards Liesl. He placed his hand on her shoulder and pushed her down into the chair with force. "I'd behave if I were you. Your father seems to have too many children to realize you're gone, so you might be here for a while."

Liesl set her chin and turned her gaze to the corner of the room, not wanting to look either Nazi in the face.

Zeller stooped down and placed his hand on her chin, rudely cocking it upwards. With a sarcastic look, he bore his eyes into hers. "And I don't take kindly to surly charges."

Liesl could hear Johannes snickering behind her. She took a deep breath, urging her fear and ire to settle, and resumed staring intently into the corner of the room.

Suddenly, she gasped when her hands were grabbed with force and held together in front of her. She turned her head to the side and saw that Johannes had taken hold of her wrists and was positioning a cloth around them to tie her up again. Closing her eyes for a moment, Liesl made her mind focus on the hope that she had in her family soon returning for her.

When she opened her eyes again, she looked across the room and saw Rolf watching the scene with wide eyes. He fidgeted in his stance and began to knead his hands in front of him. Without hesitation, he stepped forward toward the group.

Rolf pointed his arm erectly above his head in salute of Herr Zeller. "_Heil, Hitler_."

"Grüber," Zeller said with a curt nod in greeting.

"No sign of the Captain yet?" Rolf asked with feigned confidence, although the shakiness in his voice was apparent.

"Mind your business!" Zeller hissed with a glare at the young soldier.

Liesl cast her gaze to her lap upon hearing the heated tone in Zeller's voice. However, out of the corner of her eye she couldn't avoid seeing Rolf's shoulders slouch at the reprimand.

"Go get my cigarettes in my office," Zeller grumbled to the young soldier. Turning to face Johannes, he continued speaking. "And you, lock the girl in here and meet me in the hall."

Rolf and Johannes nodded curtly at their leader and turned to obey their orders. Before leaving, Rolf quickly glanced downward at Liesl and he could see the fright in her eyes as she watched Johannes walk towards her. Without realizing it, he looked away from the sight but froze, not able to stop thinking about the horror he saw on her face.

"Go!" Zeller barked upon seeing Rolf not move.

Snapping out of his reverie, Rolf nervously nodded. He backed up and bumped into the doorframe, which caused him to startle himself. Sighing deeply with embarrassment at his clumsiness, the young soldier hurried out the door.

With a final intimidating scowl at his subordinate, Herr Zeller veered around and walked briskly from the room.

* * *

Georg and Maria drove through the streets of Salzburg in relative silence, merely staring absently at the empty road ahead of them and watching the morning dew collect on the windshield. Nervous thoughts occupied both of their minds, but they each were focused on trying to be optimistic about their situation.

"It was very kind of the Abbey to let us borrow this car," Georg said earnestly, breaking the silence.

"Yes," she said in a low voice.

"The streets are empty this morning," Georg persisted, with a sidelong glance at her, hoping to calm some of her nerves by distraction.

"It's early still," she answered, still staring out the window.

Maria sat mute for a moment. "It was a good idea of yours to borrow the wireless from the Abbey. I wouldn't have thought of that."

Georg reached over to caress the top of Maria's hand, which was absently rubbing her wrist in her lap. At his touch, her nervous movements ceased and Maria turned her gaze upwards to Georg's profile.

He cast her a quick glance and flashed her a comforting smile as he drove.

As always, Maria felt her strength and confidence renew in her husband's company and squeezed his hand in support. She placed her other hand on top of their entwined fingers and closed her eyes, bowing her head and saying a silent prayer for both of their protection and Liesl's safe return.

For a few more moments the couple drove in silence. Suddenly, Georg took a sharp turn and stopped the car. He moved in his seat to face Maria and found her staring at him with wide eyes.

"Is this it?" she asked, her eyes boring deep into Georg's. Without even knowing for sure that they had reached their destination, Maria could just sense that they had, even before Georg answered her.

"Yes, we'll walk the rest of the way. Are you clear on everything, Maria?" Georg asked her with an insistent look, urging her to consider his question very carefully in order to be certain before they parted.

Maria looked Heavenward for a moment before returning her gaze to Georg. "Yes, I'm ready," she asserted with a confident nod of her head.

"Be careful. Please," he implored.

"You too, Captain," Maria replied, her voice catching as she spoke and her eyes involuntarily filling with tears. Her eyes locked with Georg and she drew him to her, needing to feel the security she always felt when in his arms.

"You have my promise, Maria," he whispered in her ear.

Moving her face away from Georg's shoulder, she looked at him and reached upwards to stroke his cheek. "Let's go get our daughter back," she said with a courageous glow in her eye.

Georg leaned his forehead against Maria's, never removing his eyes from her. "I'm right next to you, darling," he said with an air of optimism.

"I have complete faith in this, Georg," Maria added with one final touch of her husband's face.

He leaned forward and brushed Maria's lips with his own. "So do I," he said in a low voice.

Before leaving, Georg surveyed the front of the vehicle quickly, noting that the doors were unlocked. He removed the keys from the ignition and noticed a thick bush a few meters from the car where he would hide the keys while they were gone. He got out of the car with the intention of opening the door for Maria, when, much to his surprise, he found her already standing outside waiting for him.

"I'm going to leave the keys here," he told her while walking towards the bush and hiding the keys underneath. "They'll be safer than in the car or with one of us."

Maria nodded and watched carefully as Georg buried the keys, mentally noting their location.

Turning toward her again, Georg walked toward Maria. "Follow me," he instructed with a reassuring squeeze of her shoulders. He lowered his arms and the couple set off in the direction of the _Residenzplatz_, hand in hand.

* * *

"Georg," Maria whispered as she followed him through a narrow alley in the center of Salzburg.

Georg continued to walk straight ahead, but turned his head partially to the side to show that he was listening.

"If we go behind St. Peter's Church and walk to the end of _Kirchestrasse _we'll get there faster. There's a shortcut through the _Universitätsplatz _that we can take."

"This way's not long either," Georg replied, looking over his shoulder, mindful of their surroundings.

"No, but my way is shorter and the market that's usually in the plaza is closed on Sundays; the tents are still up, but it'll be empty today. We'll be less likely to meet anyone."

Georg continued walking for a few paces and contemplated the idea. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and turned toward Maria, his face decisive. "Show me."

Maria nodded and stepped past her husband. She took his hand and they resumed their pace.

For a few blocks, the couple walked in silence, and as they neared the end of _Kirchestrasse, _they stood facing the _Universitätsplatz. _Georg stopped Maria in front of a heavy iron gate that separated them from the square, and peeked his head around the corner. He looked from side to side, surveying the scene with caution. Not noticing any reason to worry, he cocked his head at Maria, indicating that it was safe for them to proceed.

She gave Georg a confident look and quickly looked both ways for her own reassurance before they walked past a statue and entered the plaza. Tall shrubbery surrounded the area, blocking them from view to any passers-by.

"This would be a lot easier at night," Georg said wryly.

Maria placed her hand on his back and moved it gently across his jacket in comfort.

The couple walked briskly past a row of empty booths and stayed out of the open to make themselves less conspicuous. They were focused on getting to the other side of the square and the short distance seemed further than usual under such tense circumstances.

Suddenly, the loud pounding of footsteps on the cobblestone startled both Georg and Maria. The sound evoked further panic as it increased in volume and seemed to be heading in their direction.

Maria looked at Georg with wide eyes, searching his face for some sign of reassurance. Focused on weighing their options and working to compose a quick solution, he merely met her gaze with sternness.

All of a sudden, Georg grabbed Maria's hand and bolted across an aisle to a large, covered tent. He pulled her against the front wall and stood next to her, so that their backs were a few meters from the entrance. Reaching across Maria's body with his arm, Georg placed one hand to her shoulder and held her protectively; the physical contact seemed to offer comfort to his worrisome mind.

Slowly, he lowered his hand and reached toward his jacket to remove his gun. As Georg grasped the weapon in his hand and removed it from his pocket, he turned his face to his wife and found her staring at him. She nodded slightly with approval.

The approaching footsteps caused Georg's body to stiffen; he could hear them more clearly now and recognized the sound as a disciplined military march. Instinctively, he placed his thumb on the hammer of his pistol, readying himself to cock the trigger if needed. He moved his other hand to Maria's chest and protectively pressed her closer to the wall. Georg turned his head toward the doorway and could feel Maria's breathing stop for a moment as the three soldiers walked past their refuge.

A tense moment passed and the clicking of heels, as the three soldiers walked through the square, became more distant.

Georg felt the blood return to his face and was relieved to feel Maria exhale the breath that she had been holding. He turned to her and held his hand up, indicating for her to stay still while he looked around the corner to see if they were in the clear.

Maria nodded without hesitation but unconsciously walked a step forward when Georg moved, placing her hand on his back for her own comfort.

After a moment, he leaned towards her and placed his pistol back into his belt clip. "Let's go. I can see them at the entrance we came through, but they have their backs to us. When I count to three, run to the lamp post on the other side."

"All right," Maria agreed.

"One, two, three!"

The couple sprinted across the _Universitätsplatz _to the opening. They looked to the street in front of them and the _Rathaus _came into view in the distance.

Georg looked behind them cautiously and then pointed in front of them to a gated cemetery across the street. "When we get across the road, go through the cemetery. It backs up to where I want you to hide."

As he spoke, Georg tried to maintain eye contact with Maria but he instinctively kept diverting his gaze behind them in the direction of the soldiers. So far, they had gone unnoticed, but he did not want to risk this by letting down his guard too soon.

Maria nodded with understanding. "Just lead me," she told him with a forced smile.

Georg reached back and took Maria's hand before returning his attention in front of him.

"Hurry," he said firmly, noting that the road was empty and they could cross.

Maria followed closely behind when Georg darted across the street. He led her into the cemetery and they both looked around with anxiety at first, but soon calmed and cast relieved glances at each other. In the distance, a handful of gravesites were scattered with visitors, but every group seemed too preoccupied to notice anything around them.

"Walk casually over there," Georg instructed while pointing to the opposite end of the grounds. "We'll be more noticeable if we run."

Maria nodded and forced a smile. "We're almost there," she assured both herself and Georg.

"Almost there isn't enough," Georg replied distantly.

Maria fixed her gaze on his stoic demeanor and sighed. "We've come this far without too many problems," she reminded him.

Georg glanced behind them as they crossed the graveyard and then returned his attention to Maria upon not seeing anything suspicious. "Let's hope it stays that way."

Maria stared at Georg's stern profile for another moment, thinking about what must be going through his mind. She knew firsthand the heartache, fright, and anger that this situation had evoked. But, she could only imagine how amplified each of these must be for Georg as the head of the family.

The couple crossed one final street in silence, which brought them to the edge of the _Residenzplatz_. They walked around the perimeter of the plaza,where it was lined with a thick row of trees and bushes, and continued to follow the brush into an alley that branched off from the main road.

Soon they reached a dead end and Georg parted a section of the foliage, holding it open for Maria to walk through. He cocked his head at her and she proceeded.

As they passed through the shrubbery, they each looked from side to side to determine the best place for Maria to hide.

"Over there," Maria suggested, pointing to a small opening ahead of them amongst two overgrown thorn bushes. A few hundred meters ahead, a tall stonewall separated the _Rathaus _grounds from them; the top half of the building was clearly visible.

Georg nodded and reached forward to move another large branch out of their way so that he and Maria could pass. They walked to the opening and Georg surveyed the scene carefully and then nodded with satisfaction.

He reached toward his belt clip and removed the pistol. Handing it hesitantly to Maria, his eyes bore deep into hers and she took the gun.

"I love you, Maria," he said in a more serious tone than he had ever used to speak to her. Needing to feel her in his arms before they parted, he drew her to him and held her close.

Georg drew back from their embrace and Maria turned her eyes upwards to him.

"I'll be waiting for you, darling," she said with determination.

"We'll all be together again soon," he told her with certainty and his face showed that there was no other option.

"Be careful, Captain," Maria whispered while reaching upwards to stroke his cheek. As she spoke, her eyes filled with tears and her voice faltered.

Georg nodded slowly and leaned forward to brush Maria's lips to his. "I will," he assured her with a gentle smile.

Knowing that lingering any longer would make saying goodbye more difficult than it already was and would be wasting precious time, Georg looked one last time into her eyes before turning around and walking back through the bushes to reclaim his daughter.

* * *

Rolf berated himself for his clumsiness as he walked through the hallway to Herr Zeller's study. Picking Zeller's cigarettes up from his desk, he frowned at his own incompetence with frustration and turned to leave the room right away, wanting to return promptly without further disappointing his leader.

He walked through the building toward the cellar and began to go back downstairs. However, as he moved, Rolf suddenly heard low whispering from below and stopped in his tracks. He listened for a moment before he recognized the voices as Herr Zeller and Johannes. Deciding that interrupting the scene would probably infuriate Zeller more than he already was, Rolf cocked his head so that he could hear more clearly and listened to the conversation that was taking place below.

_"I've ordered the borders to be closed. When he comes back into the country, he won't be able to leave again," Zeller said in a low voice. "There's one more passenger train leaving at 12 from Innsbruck and going to Milan, to covertly transport weapons, but nothing afterwards."_

_"Yes, Sir," Johannes said with seriousness._

_"This is confidential," Zeller emphasized. _

_"Yes, Sir."_

_"I'll have Grüber guard the girl today. Gather together your troops and be ready to find the Captain," Zeller instructed._

His orders were met with silence for a moment, but Rolf soon heard shuffling below as Zeller and Johannes started to walk toward the room where Liesl was being guarded.

Suddenly the noise stopped as Zeller froze in his tracks. Again he spoke to Johannes._ "Do whatever you must to find him. The Captain will join us; there's no other option," he said arrogantly._

_"We'll stake out the city for him, Sir," Johannes replied. "He'll be back to get the girl."_

_"Yes," Zeller said smugly. "He will. Get going when Grüber returns."_

The footsteps toward Liesl's room resumed and Rolf listened until he heard the door open and close a moment later as the two entered. He waited another minute before descending the rest of the stairs and following Zeller and Johannes.

Shutting the door behind him, Rolf stepped inside and surveyed the scene. Liesl was staring absently into the corner and her chin was set with stubborn determination.

As Rolf entered the room, Zeller looked upwards briefly and approached him. The Gauleiter snatched his pack of cigarettes from the boy's hand and with a grumble, turned around abruptly. He lit a cigarette and started to pace the room while Johannes and Rolf watched, awaiting their orders.

Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door, causing everyone in the room to look towards it with surprise.

"Enter!" Zeller shouted.

The door opened and Ludwig stepped inside. He raised his arm and saluted Herr Zeller. "_Heil Hitler_," he said with a bow of his head.

"What is it?" Zeller asked angrily, taking a step forward towards his subordinate who had just entered.

"There's someone upstairs to see you, Sir. Captain Von Trapp requests your presence immediately," Ludwig relayed.

Rolf could see out of the corner of his eye that Liesl's face had turned slightly towards them upon hearing the words, but immediately, she had returned her gaze to the corner. Despite her bound wrists and torn clothes, her face appeared to glow more than it had since she arrived.

Zeller threw his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it to put it out. He placed his hands together and began to knead them with defeat.

First casting an evil smile at Johannes and then turning to Rolf, Zeller spoke with authority to the young boy. "Watch the girl until we return."

"Follow me," he ordered to Johannes and Ludwig, and immediately turned around to go upstairs to meet his enemy.


	11. Chapter 11

Georg straightened his posture and set his chin with indignation as he waited in the main vestibule of the _Rathaus _for Herr Zeller to arrive. He looked with scorn upon the two soldiers who had been ordered to watch him while Zeller was summoned. Despite their stiff stances and seeming aloof mannerisms, Georg could see that they were both eyeing him with caution and had their hands positioned over their pistols.

In the background, the swinging pendulum of a grandfather clock was the only sound as Georg waited. He listened to the monotonous drone absently; his mind preoccupied with his soon encounter with Herr Zeller.

Suddenly, a door slammed and Georg was startled. He instantly turned around to see Herr Zeller entering, accompanied by Johannes and Ludwig.

"Well, well, well," Zeller greeted with feigned surprise, "If it isn't Captain Von Trapp."

Georg smiled tightly at him and stood still, despite the overwhelming desire he had to grip Zeller by the collar and throw him on the ground. "You have your wish, Herr Zeller. I've come to join you," he said icily.

Zeller raised an eyebrow at the Captain's cold tone and after a moment, took a few steps closer to him. "Manners, Captain. Please," he smiled with arrogance.

"And I could have sworn that you were supposed to join us last night," Zeller continued sarcastically.

Georg set his chin and took a deep breath to calm his ire. He looked Zeller in the eyes and forced himself to be subservient. "Yes, well I'm here now," he said with a cynical half-smile.

Zeller walked towards Georg, patted him on the back, and placed an arm around his shoulder, causing Georg to stiffen with hatred. "I see you've come to your senses, Captain," he said with mock politeness.

For a moment, the Nazi kept his arm around Georg's shoulder in spite. Suddenly, he turned to Ludwig and Johannes and his evil smile dissolved into a broad scowl.

"Disarm him!" Zeller ordered.

Johannes and Ludwig bolted forward and seized the Captain under the arms, one on either side of him. Each Nazi searched him for weapons as Zeller and the two other soldiers looked on.

Georg stiffened at the display, but did not protest, allowing them to perform their task and hoping that they would not discover the pen he had stuck inside the inner lining of his jacket arm.

When they did not find anything, Johannes and Ludwig pushed the Captain out of their grasp with force, causing him to stumble forward.

"Very good, Captain," Zeller said in a patronizing term. "I'd suggest that you keep up this behavior if you know what's good for you."

The Captain veered around to face Zeller and forced a smile. "_I_ only have good intentions," he said flatly.

Zeller raised his eyebrow at Georg's choice of words. With a low scowl, he turned to face Johannes and Ludwig and nodded slowly with silent instruction. Suddenly, the two subordinates lunged forward and again grabbed Georg under each arm. They pushed him up against a wall and held him tightly in restraint.

Zeller sniggered. He walked towards Georg, his eyes never faltering. "I think you meant that to offend me, Captain," Zeller spoke in a flat voice with a chiding shake of his head.

"Please bring me my daughter," Georg said icily as he held Zeller's gaze.

"Yes, your daughter. I almost forgot about her. Perhaps you should be questioning her intentions?" Zeller said with a grim smile. "She's quite the tease, Captain."

Georg clenched his teeth together sharply and he felt the heat rise to his face. "If you laid a hand on her, I'll--," he began, but suddenly stopped and forced a smile. He took a deep breath to calm his anger and looked Zeller coolly in the eyes.

"I beg you, Herr Zeller, please release her," he said through tight lips.

Zeller shook his head at the Captain and raised an eyebrow. "Release her, Captain? Surely you don't think I'd do something foolish like that? At least not without getting something worthwhile in return. It's only fair," he said smugly.

The Captain set his chin and forced his face to stay calm. "Take whatever you want from me, Zeller," he said bluntly.

Zeller walked closer to Georg and locked eyes with him. "Your wife perhaps? Or another daughter? You're putting ideas in my head Captain," he taunted.

Georg felt his heart rate quicken and instinctively stiffened his shoulders. "Still known for your chivalry, hmm?" he retorted through a cool half-smile.

Zeller sniggered smugly. "I was about to ask you if you were still known for anything, but we all know the answer to that already, Herr Von Trapp."

The Captain felt his temper about to snap at the patronizing remark, but merely continued to stare at Zeller without flinching.

Zeller held his gaze for a long moment before suddenly turning to Erik, one of the soldiers standing in the doorway, and shouting an order. "Get the girl!"

The soldier nodded his head and turned quickly to retrieve Liesl, giving the Captain a chance to cool his temper and hope that Zeller had enough mercy to release his daughter without putting up a fight.

* * *

The door slammed shut behind Johannes, Ludwig, and Herr Zeller as they hurried to greet the Captain. Rolf felt relief at the sound, knowing that he was away from his superiors for the time being. Nonetheless, he was also overcome with worry at the realization that he was once again left alone with Liesl.

Turning away from the door, Rolf focused his attention on the far corner of the room without so much as a glance at his charge. With a deep breath, he crossed the room and sat down at the desk, pretending to busy himself with a pen and a blank tablet. His thoughts, however, were preoccupied with the information he had just heard and the knowledge that, beside himself, nobody outside of Zeller's close circle knew about it.

Without realizing it, Rolf kept glancing at Liesl out of the corner of his eye and could see that she had not moved her gaze from the door. He frowned at the sight, knowing that with Herr Zeller against her family, Liesl's hope of escaping could easily be disappointed.

After a few minutes, he stood up and with a nervous glance toward the door, walked toward Liesl and sat on the couch facing her. "Listen to me, Liesl," he said in a tone that managed to lure her attention from the door.

"They've closed the borders out of Austria. I heard for myself," he continued in a whisper while looking at her with sincerity.

Liesl stared at him with wide eyes of disbelief for a moment before turning her nose slightly upwards and returning her gaze to the door. "Why should I believe you?" she asked in a haughty manner.

Rolf sighed deeply and glanced toward the door over his shoulder. He stood up and began to pace the length of the couch. "The last train leaves at 12 from Innsbruck and goes to Milan; after that, there's nothing," he told her with urgency, hoping to persuade her doubt.

Liesl sat in silence, contemplating Rolf's words. Suddenly she turned to him and with a frown, she narrowed her eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"

Rolf stopped pacing and straightened his posture, his back still turned to Liesl. For a moment, he stood still and did not speak.

"Well?" she persisted.

Slowly, Rolf turned around and looked at her with a serious expression on his face. "Just remember what I'm saying," he said lowly. He watched Liesl for a moment before returning to the desk across the room.

He was on the verge of sitting down in the desk chair when he heard a knock. Rolf veered around at the sound and began to walk towards the door that was already opening.

Erik appeared in sight and entered the room, nodding at Rolf in greeting. "The Gauleiter has requested that she be brought upstairs immediately. I've come to get her," the young soldier said to Rolf with a cock of his head in Liesl's direction.

Rolf nodded and moved aside while Erik walked to Liesl and pulled her to her feet with a rough tug at her arm. He watched with seeming indifference as his peer pushed Liesl forward to walk and she winced with pain.

Seeing that she was injured, Erik turned to Rolf and winked cynically. He tightened his grasp on her arm and continued pushing her forward toward the exit. She tripped and Eric turned again toward Rolf with an evil smile.

Rolf forced a smile mutely.

Impatiently, Eric bent down and picked Liesl up to carry her up the stairs, knowing that her injury would delay their arrival, something Zeller would not appreciate at all. A moment later, the door slammed shut.

Rolf waited a moment until he heard the footsteps disappear and then opened the door and walked into the hall. He sighed deeply and started to go upstairs to return to his quarters. Silently, he said a prayer for Liesl and her family, something he had not done for quite some time.

* * *

Captain Von Trapp and Herr Zeller stood mutely in each other's presence, neither of them looking fully at the other but both of them unable to refrain from eyeballing each other every few minutes. Zeller had dismissed the young soldier who had been guarding the Captain, leaving only Johannes and Ludwig in the room with them. Both soldiers stood stiffly against the wall, one on either side of their leader.

Herr Zeller kept looking to the door with a scowl, his patience deserting him and his temper coming forth. He wondered what was taking Erik so long to retrieve the girl.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Erik entered carrying Liesl. Her dress was torn and her face was dirty, but the happiness in her eyes upon seeing her father was unmistakeable. She looked toward him and their eyes locked.

Georg gave her a reassuring look and never removed his eyes from her, even when Ludwig and Johannes grabbed him under the arms and pushed him back up against the wall. The Captain struggled to release himself from their grasp, but the two soldiers held him in tight constraint.

"Please let her go," Georg said coldly. His eyes narrowed and he cast an icy glare at Herr Zeller, who was contentedly watching the scene from the sidelines.

With an evil smile plastered on his face, Zeller walked forward and approached his enemy. "You heard the Captain's orders. Let the girl go," he said with cynicism, speaking to Erik, but never removing his eyes from the Captain.

Turning to the side and giving a slow nod at Erik, Zeller confirmed his instruction. Seeing the gesture, Erik roughly put Liesl to the ground and pushed her forward with force, causing her to stumble on her weak ankle and fall forward. She gasped loudly as she fell to the ground.

"Leave her!" Georg growled.

Zeller looked upwards and smiled with feigned calmness upon hearing the order. "I thought I made myself clear, Captain. Your words mean nothing," he said smugly.

"Do what you will to me, but please let her be," Georg begged with mock politeness. He shifted slightly in the Nazis' grasp, but the two soldiers reacted with force, overpowering him and slamming him back against the wall.

Zeller sniggered to himself and slowly walked toward Liesl, who remained sprawled on the ground, her arms tightly bound and her slip sticking out from underneath her dress. He squatted down next to her and grasped a handful of her hair in his fist. Zeller tugged at it with force, causing Liesl's head to jerk to the side so that she faced him.

He moved his hand to her chin and held it tightly in his grip, running his other hand along her jaw line. He could feel Georg's eyes burning into him as the Captain looked on protectively.

For a second, Zeller's movement stopped when he saw his soldiers press the Captain further against the wall as he squirmed in their hold. However, he immediately resumed his teasing, this time running his finger over Liesl's lips.

"We've enjoyed her company very much, right?" he asked in a haughty manner, looking straight at Liesl for confirmation.

Without hesitation, she nodded perfunctorily and her trembling increased. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced toward her father and cast him a look of terror.

Zeller saw the action and rudely cocked her chin upwards again.

"She was taught to act polite in _any _situation," Georg retorted coldly.

Zeller raised an eyebrow at him, and his phoniness suddenly dissolved into a deep scowl. "She's a surly, opinionated brat who needs to be put in her place. Just like her father," he spat.

Zeller still held Liesl's chin between his fingers although he now glared at the Captain. His attention diverted for a moment, Liesl suddenly opened her mouth wide, jerked her head out of his grasp, and bit down hard on Zeller's hand.

"Damn!" he snarled, shaking his hand in pain. He pushed Liesl forcefully from his grasp, causing her to fall forward on the ground.

Quickly Zeller got to his feet and looked from the Captain to Liesl. "You'll both regret that!" he warned them flatly.

Zeller approached Liesl again and grabbed her under the arm, yanking her to her feet. "Lock her up!" he ordered, his face reddening with anger and his eyes glazed over with cruelty.

"In the dark," he continued with an evil smile at both Von Trapps.

"And make sure you prevent _this_ from happening again," he ordered, holding up his bruised hand. He reached into his jacket, pulled out a handkerchief, and threw it at Erik. Zeller then thrust Liesl in the young soldier's direction.

Erik caught the girl in his grasp and pushed her forward toward the door. She again stumbled on her bad ankle and Erik jerked her to her feet once more. He gripped the cloth and struggled with Liesl to get it around her head, although her protests made his task quite difficult.

"Father!" she screamed, moving her head from side to side to avoid the dreaded cloth. Erik's strength quickly overcame her, however, and he knotted the cloth tightly around her head

Georg's strength suddenly seemed to increase. He bolted forward with a sudden movement and loosened the Nazis' grip on his arms. Almost immediately, Johannes pounced upon Georg as he tried to escape, which brought them both tumbling to the ground.

Georg struggled with the burly soldier, all the while fighting to keep an eye on Liesl. Through his own and Johannes' movements, he saw Erik pick Liesl up and leave with her through the door they had entered only moments earlier.

Suddenly, Georg felt a hand on his collar as he was pulled to a standing position again. Despite the action, he glanced toward the now empty door where Liesl had sat seconds earlier.

A sudden sharp blow to his stomach jolted Georg's attention and he shot his head up to see Ludwig standing before him. Georg swung his hand back and went to punch Ludwig in the face, when Johannes grabbed his wrist from behind. Ludwig lunged forward simultaneously and the two soldiers forced the Captain against the back wall.

Zeller approached the trio with his arms behind his back. His face was contorted into a fierce look and his eyes were black with rage. He moved his hands in front of him to reveal a pistol. With force, he jabbed it into the Captain's abdomen, causing him to stiffen.

"It really didn't have to come to this, Captain," Zeller snarled.

Georg's eyes narrowed at Zeller, as if daring him to shoot, and the two glared at each other unrelentingly. Suddenly, a loud shot broke the silence.


	12. Chapter 12

Maria gripped the still smoking pistol tightly in her shaking hand and quickly placed it into the inner pocket of her thick wool jacket. Her hand and shoulder stung from the backlash of the gunshot she had just fired and her entire body was trembling with nerves and fright.

She paused for a moment to listen to the chaos that was undoubtedly breaking out on the other side of the wall, on the _Rathaus _grounds. Instinctively taking a step backwards when she heard a whistle sound, Maria bumped into a large tree and startled herself. She gasped out loud and snapped her head around to confront the intruder. Upon seeing that she was still alone, she berated herself for being so on edge and forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Without further hesitation, she turned fully around to make her way back to the car.

* * *

Liesl lay on the cold, concrete floor of the _Rathaus _cellar, completely alone. Erik had brought her there and had then left her deserted in the dark room.

She gasped audibly and felt her heart skip a beat when she heard the gunfire. Thoughts of her father upstairs came to mind and tears began to fall freely from her eyes as she squirmed around on the floor to an upright position. Maneuvering toward the door, Liesl reached upwards for the knob and turned it. As expected, it did not budge and was clearly locked.

Using the doorknob for support, she hoisted herself to a standing position, and leaned her shoulder against the door.

Finding some light was her first priority. Liesl had seen Erik rip down the light cord that normally hung in the center of the room and knew that she would now not be able to turn it on. Instead, she steadied herself on her good leg and attempted to walk toward the desk on the other end of the room, where she had seen a candle lit earlier.

Liesl hobbled around in the dark and the narrow room seemed bigger than before. She kept her bound hands against the wall for support and slowly felt her way to the back of the room. As she walked, her mind kept clouding over with horror at the chilling silence that filled the air since the dreaded shot.

After what seemed like an eternity, Liesl finally reached the desk and frantically felt around for a candle.

Not finding anything, she began to shake with despair. She leaned against the nearby wall and slowly slid down it, clenching her fists tightly. Tears began to fill her eyes and she bit her lip to try to control her emotions.

Suddenly, overcome with anger and frustration, she picked her legs up and kicked the desk with force, causing it to slide a few meters to the side and smash into the opposite wall. As a result, the sound of a falling picture filled the room.

She sat still for a moment, staring absently into the darkness when suddenly a thought entered her mind. Liesl straightened her posture and sat upright.

"The key!" she exclaimed in an incomprehensible mumble due to the cloth around her mouth. Her eyes grew wide and hope came flooding back to her as she remembered the hidden key that Rolf had used to lock the door the day before. Without hesitation, Liesl crawled to the desk and leaned upon it to hoist herself up.

As she stood up, she desperately tried to remember which picture frame he had removed it from, but the image was hazy.

More quickly than before, Liesl hobbled around the perimeter of the desk, feeling the surrounding walls for pictures. She removed each and felt the back for a key, without luck. Finally, she found what she had been looking for behind a small picture; a metal lump was taped to the back.

Liesl frantically removed the key and gripping it very tightly in her hand, limped to the door. She kneeled down and despite her shaking hands, struggled to get it into the keyhole. After a few minutes of jostling it around, it finally turned and the door latched open.

Overcome with happiness and determination, Liesl stuck her head out the door into the dimly lit vestibule. Not noticing anything suspicious, she began to stagger across the room, resolute on escaping from this nightmare. A second gunshot erupted as she made her way toward the stairs.

* * *

As the first shot sounded, Georg stood at gunpoint in Herr Zeller's control. The unexpected noise caused the three Nazis to startle, giving Georg the chance to thrust his knee upwards toward the gun and knock the loaded weapon away from his body. At the sudden movement, Zeller accidentally fired the gun. Large chunks of debris fell from the ceiling and dust filled the room.

Ludwig jumped aside to avoid being hit by falling debris, releasing his grasp on the Captain. As he did, Georg elbowed Johannes with force. The Captain bolted forward, ramming head first into Zeller and forcing him to stumble backwards and drop his pistol. It fell to the ground and slid, unnoticed by the Nazis, under a piece of fallen plaster.

Instantly, Georg dove for the gun, but once he was on the ground, felt something grab his waist from behind. He kicked backwards with force and felt the restraint loosen as a loud moan was heard. Glancing behind him, Georg saw Ludwig standing up with blood dripping from his nose. It appeared to be broken.

Taking advantage of this injury, Georg picked up a large piece of plaster that had fallen from the ceiling and slammed it into Ludwig's head, further debilitating him. He returned his attention to the pistol that still lay on the floor, and bolted towards it with Johannes right behind him.

The Captain lunged forward for the object, but Johannes stopped his effort by brutally punching his lower back. Georg gasped at the blow and fell to the ground. Persevering and rolling over despite the pain, he began to crawl toward the gun, resolute on reaching it.

"Stop him!" Zeller ordered. He followed Georg's gaze and seeing the pistol, quickly moved towards it.

Johannes charged forward and grabbed the Captain's leg from behind, causing him to fall flat on his chest, only a short distance from the weapon.

Georg stared at the gun in front of him, and stretched his arm out, desperately trying to reach it despite the pull from behind. As he strained to grab the weapon, a black shoe suddenly came into view, directly on top of the gun.

"Nice try," Zeller mocked in a cold voice. The Nazi glared down at Georg as his foot firmly rested on the pistol.

Georg set his chin tightly towards his opponent, but his anger was quickly diverted by a movement behind Zeller. A glimpse of a white slip peeked around the doorframe followed by a trace of long, brown hair. It disappeared so quickly that Georg almost missed it. However, positive of what he had seen, he looked quickly away, not wanting to attract anyone else's attention to it.

Slowly, Georg withdrew his arm and let his body go limp. He brought his outstretched hand back and rested it near his other arm, slowly reaching inside his sleeve for the cartridge pen he had hidden. "You win, Herr Zeller. I surrender," he said tightly.

Zeller nodded his head slowly and his mouth curled into a wicked smile. "I think you mean you have no choice," he retorted.

Georg took the end of the pen between his fingers and gripped it tightly inside his jacket sleeve. "You're right. No choice," he repeated calmly, concentrating on the object in his grasp. Suddenly, he raised his hand and in a fast motion brought it back down again towards Zeller's foot, piercing it with the sharp point.

"Damn!" Zeller shouted. He withdrew his foot in pain and when he did, Georg lunged forward and grabbed the pistol. The Captain picked it up and twisting his back upwards, aimed towards the ceiling on purpose. Once again, pieces of plaster fell to the ground and dusted clouded the air.

Johannes recoiled instinctively and Georg was able to writhe out of his grasp. In an attempt to flee, Georg stumbled forward. Gaining his balance, he bolted for the door, knocking a still disoriented Ludwig out of the way with a rough slam into his shoulder.

"Stop him!" Zeller yelled vaguely.

Johannes removed his gun from his belt clip and fired at Georg as he ran to the doorway. A nearby mirror shattered, filling the room with a piercing crash.

Upon hearing the noise, Georg flinched and instinctively cocked the trigger on his own gun. He turned around and fired another shot behind him. He heard a pained cry and when he veered around, he saw Johannes grasping his shoulder tightly. The Nazi's jacket was now clearly marked by a bright red pool of blood.

Quickly refocusing his attention in front of him, Georg continued to dart towards the door and could hear Zeller sounding his whistle behind him, summoning his troops.

He reached the door and saw that he had been right; Liesl was standing quivering behind the grandfather clock. Her hands and mouth were still bound, so Georg grabbed her upper arm and pulled her forward. Feeling that she staggered in her stride, he glanced behind and could see that her face was contorted into a tight look of pain.

Georg reached toward her and ripped the handkerchief off of her mouth as they ran through the foyer. Despite her injury, he bolted out the main entrance, gripping tightly to Liesl's arm. They sprinted across the courtyard. Georg glanced behind and could see two soldiers rounding the rear corner of the building and Herr Zeller leaving through the main entrance shouting orders to the approaching men.

The pair crossed _Bergstrasse. _Since it was a Sunday morning, they were fortunate to not encounter any onlookers. Needing to react quickly and seeing Liesl's blatant pain as she struggled to run, Georg pulled his daughter toward a row of cars that were parallel parked on the road adjacent to the _Rathaus_. He jostled the door handle on a few cars until he found one that was unlocked. Practically throwing Liesl into the back seat first, Georg then bolted into the front seat and locked the doors.

"Get down!" he ordered her. Both Georg and Liesl fell to their backs and laid still, neither of them breathing for a moment. They both stared upwards, not able to see out the windows and not daring to move lest they would be discovered.

Suddenly, the loud sirens from several Nazi cars sounded and Georg heard Liesl gasp. The noise increased in volume and Georg felt his stomach drop when they got so close that he was positive the cars had driven right past their hiding spot. After a moment, the sound began to die down until it was barely audible in the distance.

Georg waited a moment longer in stillness.

"Liesl," he whispered when he was confident that they were in the clear.

"Uh huh," she whispered with panic.

"Stay put for a moment," he told her.

She nodded instinctively to herself even though her father could not see it.

Slowly, Georg sat upright and glanced out the window in all directions. Apart from a lone soldier who was now guarding the _Rathaus_, the area seemed deserted.

"They're gone," he assured her.

Liesl sat upright and turned around to look at her father.

Georg reached toward her and stroked her cheek; his eyes filled with utter relief and happiness and his tender caress reflected those feelings. He leaned forward and hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her head and revelling in her safety.

"I knew you'd come," Liesl said softly, her voice catching as she spoke. Her eyes welled with tears as she spoke and her whole body was trembling with relief. The emotions she had been holding inside for nearly twelve hours could finally be released.

"Of course I would," Georg reassured her, wiping a tear from her eye and leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead again. He held his daughter close to him for a brief moment, neither one of them needing to say anything and just relieved to be together.

Suddenly Georg pulled away from their embrace and his tenderness had dissolved into a serious look. "We have to get out of here. Let me get that off of you," he said with a nod at Liesl's bound wrists.

She held her arms out and Georg untied the cloth.

He threw the dirty piece of fabric on the floor and looked at Liesl. Pointing to the guard up ahead, he continued to speak "When he goes behind the wall, I'll say 'go.' Run in the opposite direction toward the _Residenzplatz. _I'll lead from there. Try to go as fast as you can. I know it's hard for you."

"I'll be fine, Father," Liesl assured him with a forced smile.

Georg watched ahead and saw the guard pacing. The moment he was out of view, Georg turned to Liesl. "Go!" he whispered.

They opened the car doors and Georg took Liesl's hand as they started towards the _Residenzplatz, _determined to get back to Maria quickly


	13. Chapter 13

Maria stared out the car windows, grateful that she had been able to return without any complications and praying that Georg and Liesl would have as smooth a time as she had had. However, the sirens she heard in the distance were making her very nervous. There had been no sign of her family for what seemed like an eternity, and the thought made her sick to her stomach.

As she waited, Maria glanced around frantically, not really knowing the direction from which Georg and Liesl would appear, but struggling to maintain an optimistic outlook that they would come at any moment.

Suddenly she saw movement through the bushes and froze, merely staring wide-eyed at the sight. Instinctively, she placed her hand on the gun in her pocket and held her breath. All of a sudden, Georg sprinted through the bushes, with Liesl limping closely behind.

Maria let out a sigh of relief and leaned over to open the driver's side door for him.

Georg helped Liesl into the backseat and quickly took his place up front, not even stopping to greet Maria before he sped out of the alley toward the main road.

"They've closed the borders. I've been listening to the wireless," Maria told her husband solemnly. She glanced at Georg and saw him staring ahead mutely, his face stoic and calculating.

After a short delay, Georg nodded, the dreaded statement hitting him full force. For a moment, he sat motionless in thought, but then reached toward Maria and hurriedly stroked her jaw line. He sighed with relief; his wife and daughter were both safe.

"We're together," Maria whispered to him, her voice faltering.

"Thank God," he said lowly.

"Father," Liesl suddenly called out, sitting up in her seat and leaning forward toward her parents. "Go to the station in Innsbruck. There's a train leaving for Milan at noon. It's the last one out."

"How do you know that?" Georg asked her curtly, his mind concentrating on plotting his family's escape, but his daughter's words ringing in his ears.

"Please just listen; it's our only option," she insisted.

Maria turned around toward Liesl and could see the pleading look in the young girl's eyes. She gave her daughter a questioning glance, which immediately softened into one of belief when she beheld the urgency and truth in her eyes.

"I think we should listen, Georg. What other option do we have?" Maria asserted. She glanced upwards toward her husband again and could see him contemplating the idea.

He sighed deeply. "All right," he said with certainty.

Georg made a sharp turn and accelerated the car in the direction of Innsbruck, all the while looking in the rear view mirror to keep an eye on their surroundings. In the far distance a vehicle appeared to be gaining speed.

The Von Trapps' car neared the entrance to the main stretch of highway connecting Salzburg and Innsbruck; it was the most direct route and the shortest, albeit the most obvious. Georg opted to take it regardless, choosing convenience over wariness. With so little time before the supposed train from Innsbruck would depart, this was a risk they would have to take or there would be no chance that they would get to the station on time.

Maria glanced upwards toward Georg and noticed that his gaze seemed focused on the rear view mirror. As she watched him, he set his chin with anger and accelerated the vehicle further. Looking back to see what was troubling him, she noticed the car in the distance that seemed to gather speed with the same haste as her husband. Suddenly, the distinct, but still distant, sound of sirens caused Maria to gasp.

"That's them," she said, unable to hide the panic in her voice.

"They're far behind us," he assured her in a firm, unfeeling voice.

"I thought we were clear, but I guess it was silly of me to think we'd get away that easily," Maria said in a near whisper.

"We have a good head start," Georg told her flatly.

Maria turned to lean towards the backseat and her arm brushed Georg's unintentionally.

His brooding mannerisms softened when he felt her soft quivering. He reached over to rub the length of her arm with his hand, causing her to turn to him and smile; his strong touch calmed her nerves as always.

"How far is Innsbruck, Father?" Liesl asked with a slight hesitation.

"Not close enough," he answered, squinting his eyes at the vehicle in his rear view mirror and accelerating the vehicle even more.

"We'll get there, Liesl," Maria told her with a forced smile, turning towards the backseat to reassure her daughter.

Liesl nodded with belief and gave Maria an encouraging look.

For the rest of the ride to Innsbruck, Georg continued to keep a close watch on the distant vehicle. Despite his efforts to stay far ahead of it, the car was now close enough for the Von Trapps to see the unmistakable Swastika on the front hood.

After what seemed like an eternity, Georg finally pulled up in front of the Innsbruck Train Station. He stopped the car along the side of the station, away from the main entrance.

"Come quickly!" he instructed Maria and Liesl while exiting the vehicle himself. Reaching for Liesl's hand as she leaned forward to step from the car, he helped her get out and steady herself before the three of them sprinted to the door of the station.

The sirens were getting louder every second and when Georg cast one final glance backward as he held the door open, he saw the Nazis speeding down the road toward the station in their pursuit.

Without hesitation, he led his family toward the train schedule and noted that although the tracks were listed for each city, there appeared to be no departing trains out of the country at all. They all scanned the chart for the Milan train, praying that it in fact it would still be leaving.

"Milan!" Liesl exclaimed, upon finding what they had been looking for. "Track 7!"

Georg and Maria both took Liesl's hands to steady her. They bolted toward Track 7 just as the Nazis came through the main entrance and the piercing sound of whistles filled the station.

The Von Trapps reached the train, which was on the verge of departing; the conductor had already disappeared inside the main cabin and the doors were on the brink of closing. They all felt a tinge of relief; the train was legitimate and they had made it just in time. Hearing the angry Nazi shouts heading in their direction, Georg turned to Liesl and Maria.

"Grab the handle and jump on!" he shouted.

With trembling hands, Maria reached for the handlebar and jumped onto the train. She heard the conductor telling all passengers to stand clear of the closing doors and panicked.

"Now!" she shouted to Liesl, grabbing the girl's wrist and pulling her on board while Georg pushed her from behind to help her up the few steps. Once inside, Liesl, stumbled past Maria and fell against the wall next to her.

"Georg! Get on!" Maria yelled to him. "It's closing!"

He looked behind him and saw three Nazis running towards him with their guns cocked. Passers-by gaped openly at the scene and did everything they could to get out of the way.

"Grab my hand!" Maria shouted again. The doors started to close, but Maria had positioned her body as a barrier, pressing her back up against one end and jamming her feet into the other side. She pushed with all of her might and Liesl held one side with her hands too, increasing the force. Georg grabbed hold of Maria's hand as the train began to depart. Slowly, it began to roll out of the station and he ran alongside it for a few meters. Suddenly, he grabbed the door handle with his other hand and hoisted himself upwards. He smacked into Maria and Liesl, sending them both falling backwards. The doors snapped shut instantly, but not before Georg was safely inside.

He looked through the window and saw the Nazis standing on the platform, yelling in his direction. By this time, Zeller had approached his soldiers and Georg was just able to see him angrily kick a pole and begin to shout at his troop. The train picked up speed and slowly the four enemies disappeared around a corner.

Suddenly, Georg felt an arm go around his waist as he stared out the window. He glanced behind him and saw Maria standing there shaking and looking up at him with wide eyes of fright. Next to her, Liesl wore a similar expression of horror. Georg reached forward and hugged both women to him, and for a moment the family stayed very still in each other's embrace.

"Georg," Maria said lowly after a moment, "We don't have tickets."

"Or passports," Liesl added.

"I thought of that," Georg said with a frown. "Which makes it convenient to be standing so closely to the toilettes."

He looked to his wife and daughter and noted their puzzled looks.

"Let's just say that once upon a time a poor, Navy boy did a lot of stowing away on trains," he said wryly.

"Oh, of course," Maria said with a nod of realization.

Turning from Liesl to Maria, Georg told them his plan. "I'll keep a lookout and when we see the conductor coming, we'll go into the toilettes and wait there until he has passed through the cabin collecting tickets. It's a short ride to Milan, so he should only go through once."

"Are you sure, Father?" Liesl questioned with scepticism. "It seems too easy."

"Positive," Georg said bluntly, hoping that his words would be proved correct.

"All right. It's the only thing we can do I suppose," Maria agreed with a shake of her head and a raise of her eyebrow. "Let's hope you're right."

They waited a few moments between cars until they saw the conductor approaching. Following Georg's plan, they stayed in the toilettes until he had passed them by, and then casually walked to the nearest seats to rest for the remainder of the trip to Milan.


	14. Chapter 14

The train pulled into the Milan Train Station mid-afternoon and the Von Trapps disembarked with the rest of the passengers. They stopped and looked around the station to orient themselves when suddenly Liesl gasped.

"Look," she said, pointing her finger upwards toward the train schedule on the wall. Georg and Maria both followed her motion and read the dreaded words: _No Departures Until Further Notice._

"I had a feeling," Georg grumbled to himself

"Well, why don't we find the track where the Genoa train would have left from, just to make sure? It worked in Innsbruck," Maria suggested with feigned optimism.

She turned to Liesl for support and the girl shrugged her shoulders and nodded mutely.

Maria forced a smile and returned her attention to the train schedule, surveying it for the details regarding the now-cancelled Genoa, Italy departure. "Here it is. Track 12."

"That's right over there," Liesl pointed out, indicating to a large sign at the end of the platform.

They walked toward the track and Georg found an unoccupied bench that he claimed for his family. He knew that Zeller would know they had gone to Milan, so they would have to figure out how to get out of the city quickly.

Upon settling his wife and daughter on the bench, Georg surveyed the area for any hope of escape.

"It seems awfully crowded being that there are no departures," Maria observed.

"I was thinking the same thing," Georg said distantly.

"Why do you suppose that is?" Liesl asked, looking between both of her parents.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Georg told them dryly. "Stay here. I'll be back in a minute."

He turned around and walked toward the train, certain that there had to be a way out of the country and determined to find out what it was. As he neared the ticket window, he overheard a gruff voice at the counter telling a pleading woman that no tickets were being sold because no passenger cars were leaving the country; only baggage and cargo cars were allowed out.

Glancing backward toward Maria and Liesl, Georg saw them engaged in conversation and decided to quickly continue down the platform. Walking past the ticket booth, he noticed a group of individuals surrounding the conductor as cargo was loaded onto the Genoa train. As he watched, Georg's eyes narrowed when he saw a handful of passengers holding handfuls of money out to the man. His suspicions increased when he saw the conductor shake his head slowly and shrug his shoulders.

The disheartened men dropped their hands to their sides with dejection and began to dig in their pockets for additional cash. The sight intrigued Georg and he walked closer. As he approached, he heard the conductor speak loud and clear.

"It's not enough. How many times must I tell you? Come back when you have 2,000,000 Lire. Then we can talk."

The conductor turned around abruptly toward the workers who were loading the cargo onto the train. "Load this one up too!' he shouted, pointing to the nearby car.

"Wait a minute," Georg called in Italian, holding his hand up and walking quickly toward the man. He was grateful to have developed a proficiency in the language while at sea.

The conductor turned toward him with an impatient look upon his face. "What?" he nearly barked at Georg.

"Hello," Georg greeted him with a nod and a tight smile. He motioned the conductor aside and the man took a pace and then stopped.

"How much do they have?" Georg asked him in a blunt voice.

"What does it matter to you?" the conductor replied angrily.

"Please," Georg implored.

The man sighed with impatience. "Not enough," he said with an annoyed smile.

"Listen, please," Georg said earnestly. He glanced at the other passengers and saw that they were all watching him curiously. "Would you accept what they have plus the difference in Schillings? It's all I have at the moment, but I assure you it's enough."

The conductor looked at Georg with a scowl and hesitated in thought for a moment. "Yes, I'll take both," he said brusquely.

"Thank you," Georg said with a satisfied nod; relief filled his entire body.

The conductor stared at the Captain in disbelief for a moment. "Show me the cash," he instructed him in a dry tone.

Georg reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of Schillings. Counting through it carefully, he removed most of it and put the little remaining cash he had back into his pocket. He held out his hand to the man who stared openly and then reached forward to fondle the cash to verify its legitimacy.

"It should be enough," Georg assured him.

The conductor counted through the money a few times. After a moment, he turned his gaze upwards to Georg and nodded.

"Get in!" he ordered the group.

A few of the passengers looked at Georg gratefully, but none of them needed a second invitation to board. Everyone began to file into the baggage car, when the conductor spoke once more. "And save a spot on the front wall for--," he began, turning to Georg for further information.

"For three," Georg answered with a serious look.

The conductor nodded and waved the passengers to continue boarding, all the while keeping a close eye on his surroundings so that his mission would not be discovered.

"I'll be right back," Georg told him as he stepped backwards quickly to retrieve Maria and Liesl.

He waved to them and Maria helped Liesl walk towards the train.

"Hurry, the train's leaving in a few minutes," he told them with urgency.

Maria narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a questioning look.

Seeing her sceptical glance, Georg leaned towards her ear. "I'll tell you later," he promised her.

Maria stepped upwards onto the train, but remained in the doorway to help Liesl. She turned back to face her husband and nodded but cast him a sidelong glance. Slowly, she raised her eyebrow. "Legal?"

"Oh I paid for it all right," Georg told her with a small smile. Without waiting for her reaction, he turned toward Liesl to help her onto the train and followed closely behind them.

Maria looked around at the dingy wooden baggage car on which they would spend the next hours of their life. It was halfway filled with cargo, overloaded with passengers and had an unmistakably musty smell. She placed an arm around Liesl and helped to guide her towards the corner of the car at which Georg was pointing.

The couple settled Liesl and then without hesitation, Maria plopped herself down on the ground next to her daughter.

Georg squeezed between his wife and daughter and placed an arm around each of them. He leaned over to Liesl and kissed her forehead and then did the same to Maria. 

Suddenly, the door of the car slammed shut and the dim car became pitch dark. A few gasps were heard and a young child began to whimper on the other side.

"Rest," Georg whispered. He leaned his head backwards towards the hard wall and felt Maria and Liesl snuggle closer to him as the train began to slowly roll out of the station.

* * *

A stream of sunlight seeped through a narrow crack between the two doors of the baggage car. The creaking of the rickety doors as the train teetered back and forth had initially disrupted Georg's slumber, and the ray of light that was now shining in his face seemed to wake him completely.

The wooden wall he leaned upon had caused his back to stiffen, but Georg remained relatively still, not wanting to wake his family. Shifting only slightly, he repositioned his arm around Maria as she slept pressed up against his shoulder. Georg stroked her cheek and moved the coat that covered them both, more snugly around her face. He leaned over and placed a light kiss on the top of her head as she slept.

Turning his attention to his side, Georg reached down and moved a strand of hair out of Liesl's face, as she lay next to him on the ground sleeping. He tucked his jacket more tightly around her, hoping that it had kept her warm through the night, but sensing from her curled-up position that the chill in the air had affected her.

Glancing around the car, Georg could see the silhouettes of a few others onboard who were also awake. He caught glimpses of a few of them when the light shined their way, and most seemed to be either thinking to themselves or watching their families sleep. Some of the faces seemed grateful to finally be entering into freedom, but others wore an unmistakable look of grief. Georg frowned at the sight, protectively stroking Maria's shoulder and glancing toward Liesl, thankful that his wife and daughter were both safe in his presence.

All of a sudden Maria stretched her arms in front of her, while arching her back and rolling her neck. Her eyes fluttered open and for a moment she looked around in the darkness, confused as to where she was.

"Good morning," Georg whispered, leaning close to her and placing a kiss on her cheek.

Maria glanced upwards toward her husband and her wide eyes softened as she recognized her surroundings. "Yes it is," she murmured upon seeing Liesl when the light filtered over them.

Georg followed Maria's gaze and smiled at his sleeping daughter. He leaned his forehead against Maria's and instantly noticed that the tension that had been present in her body yesterday had disappeared.

Maria snuggled closer to her husband.

"We should be close to arriving, but it's hard to tell what time it is," Georg said while holding his watch upwards, hoping to catch a ray of light so that he could see the dial. After a moment, he sighed with frustration. "I think it's nearly five o'clock. I figured that we'd arrive around five-thirty."

Maria sighed deeply. "I can't believe that we made it, Georg. Well I had confidence in us, but still, with everything we were up against," she mused.

"I knew we would."

"I shudder to think of what could have happened," she said, closing her eyes to try to put the harsh reality out of her mind. "God truly is with us."

Georg moved his hand up and down Maria's arm as she rested her head underneath his chin. "He's done so much in our lives," he said with a humble nod. He felt Maria exhale slightly with contentment.

Leaning close to her ear, he spoke in a serious tone. "But do you know what occurred to me?"

She raised her head and even in the dark Georg could see her sparkling eyes watching him. "What?" she asked lowly, concern filling her voice.

Georg leaned his head closer to Maria and flashed her a loving smile. "Well, I realized that I haven't thanked you for everything. For just being you."

Maria breathed a loud sigh of relief and gave Georg a reproachful look. "You had me worried that something else had gone wrong while I was sleeping."

Georg's eyes softened at the unintentional alarm he had caused her. "Forgive me, darling. I didn't mean to worry you."

Maria cocked her chin upwards toward Georg and the forgiveness he saw in her eyes reassured him. "I know you didn't. Now you were saying, Captain?"

"I was commenting on how I haven't expressed my thanks to you," Georg said in a low voice.

Maria placed her chin against Georg's chest and merely relished in his closeness. "You're here with me and Liesl's safe. That's thanks enough."

"Yes it is. But I do think you deserve a more proper show of gratitude as well," Georg whispered into her ear.

"Oh?" she asked shyly.

"Oh yes. Any gentleman would agree," he murmured, gently nibbling on her ear.

"Mmm," Maria moaned softly.

"And I really can think of _several_ ways to express my thanks," Georg continued with a suaveness to his voice that made Maria feel as if they were the only two people in the crowded car. Gently, he ran his fingers up her side.

"I see. In that case, I won't stop you," Maria said coyly.

"Hmm…that sounds familiar. I think I _might _have heard it before," Georg whispered while catching a glimpse of her in the dim lighting.

Maria could feel her cheeks reddening at the implication. "Is this familiar?" she asked with a smile, trying to keep her voice steady and very grateful that she was already sitting down. Gently, she leaned towards him in the darkness and brushed her lips to his.

"How could I forget?" he growled in Maria's ear in the low, masculine tone that never failed to make her heart race. Georg could feel her shiver in his arms as he held her.

Maria sighed with total bliss. Six weeks married, fully a woman in every sense of the word, and she marvelled at how her husband could still make her weak at the knees with so little effort. And probably would always be able to.

After a moment, he pulled away from their embrace and stroked Maria's face with his fingers. "I thank God everyday for bringing us together. I can't tell you enough how important you are to me, Maria. I could never have done this without you," he confessed with total awe in his voice.

Maria smiled softly. "We're a good team, Captain."

Georg leaned his head toward Maria and rested it against hers. He closed his eyes in thought for a moment and then opened them again as a grateful smile crossed his face. "And thank you for dealing with me. I know I can be difficult at times."

Maria smiled softly and reached her hand upwards to gently caress his cheek. "But you got us through this," she whispered.

"_We _got us through," he corrected her.

Maria nodded softly. "Besides, who says you're the only difficult one in this family?" she said with a smile.

Georg grinned. "No, I didn't say _that._ I'd say we're about even," he replied with a chuckle upon seeing the look of surprise on Maria's face.

However, his face suddenly beheld a more serious look and he continued to speak. "Thank you, Maria. I mean it."

Maria held his gaze. "I know."

Georg moved his hand behind her neck and ran his fingers over her soft skin. He drew her to him and held her tightly, letting all of the worry and tension of the past few days melt away.

As the couple embraced, Liesl stirred and stretched her legs absently. She sat upright and noticing that her parents were awake, albeit preoccupied, she smiled and cleared her throat in a low tone.

They pulled apart from their embrace and Georg felt Maria instinctively reach upwards to smooth her hair and adjust the collar of her blouse. "Well good morning," he bid his daughter with a smile.

Liesl giggled. "Sorry I interrupted."

"We'll have to get used to it," Georg teased, squeezing Maria's hand in jest. He bent over and placed a light kiss upon his daughter's forehead. "Did you sleep well?"

Liesl nodded. "Like a baby. I suppose I really needed some rest."

She hesitated for a moment. "Everything that happened almost seems like a bad nightmare, doesn't it?"

"I'm afraid it's all too real," Georg answered in a sorrowful tone.

Maria took Georg's hand as it rested on his thigh. She entwined their fingers and squeezed it in solace. "It could have been worse. Besides, it's in our past now," she assured her husband and daughter.

They both nodded.

Liesl stared off at the stream of light and squinted her eyes at the brightness of it. "Austria really has changed, hasn't it?" she asked as she placed her head against her father's shoulder.

Georg and Maria both nodded mutely.

"In that case, I'm glad we left when we did. I want to remember it the way it was," Liesl said with a sigh.

"Sometimes change is the most difficult, but best, decision of all," Maria mused.

Georg rubbed Maria's hand with his thumb and placed his arm around Liesl's shoulders. "Yes. The most important thing is that we're safe and together," he asserted.

"And remember that home is where the family is," Maria added bitter sweetly, believing her own words yet also sad that they might never return to Austria.

The trio remained silent for a few minutes, reflecting on their ultimate good fortune. Despite the losses they had incurred and the potential danger they had faced to get to where they were, they had so much to be thankful for.

Suddenly, the train came to an abrupt halt, causing everyone in the car to be jolted. A young child began to cry on the opposite end of the car and low voices could be heard in the darkness. Maria was thrown forward and then bumped her head on the wall when she was thrust backwards again. She released an instinctive cry, more out of surprise than pain, and absently raised her hand to rub her scalp.

"Are you both all right?" Georg asked them, as he brought his hand upwards to caress Maria's head.

"I'm fine. I was just caught off guard," she said with a reassuring smile while placing a soft caress on Georg's cheek.

"I'm fine too. Another small tear in my dress, but that's all," Liesl said with a shrug. "Does this mean we've arrived?"

Georg glanced around the car and held his watch up to try to read the dial. Before he had a chance to answer, the doors flew open and the conductor appeared.

"Genoa!" he announced.

Georg turned to them. "Come, let's get on line. There's one forming over there," he told them while pointing toward the side of the car.

They got to their feet and Georg helped Liesl walk to the end of the queue to disembark. As they approached the edge of the car, he helped both of them get off the train.

Surveying the scene outside, Georg noticed that they had pulled into a desolate indoor track. A sign for the Genoa Port was situated on the wall a few yards away.

"This way," Georg directed his family.

They followed him and after a short walk through the cargo area of the train station, arrived at the main entrance. Leaving, Georg surveyed the scene outside and saw the ticket booth and some food vendors across the road. Several hotels and restaurants could be seen in the distance, on the other side of the tracks.

He knitted his brow and tried to determine what course of action to take now. As Maria watched him, she could see his face darken.

"We don't know where the others are, do we, Father?" Liesl asked in a worried tone.

"No we don't," Georg replied bluntly, his mind preoccupied with weighing the options for finding his children in this moderately populated city.

Maria approached Georg and placed a light hand on his forearm. "We'll get to them."

Georg's stoic demeanor gradually faded upon hearing Maria's reassurance. He looked to her and nodded with belief. Turning to Liesl, he patted her cheek softly and smiled. "We don't know exactly where they are, since we weren't supposed to separate."

Liesl twisted her mouth slightly in thought. "The Detweilers don't have any acquaintances here, do they?" she asked.

Georg shook his head.

"Maybe they're at a hotel?" Liesl proposed.

"I was thinking that too," Maria added with a nod.

"But there are so many of them," Liesl observed with a slight loss of hope while looking around.

Georg motioned with his hand for them to follow him and he placed an arm around Liesl to help her walk. They crossed the road and found an empty bench on which to rest. He beckoned for them to sit down and glanced around at the food vendors that were behind them. Reaching into his pocket, Georg produced a small handful of Schillings and frowned.

"Let me go and see if there is a bank where I could exchange some of this into Lire. None of us have eaten anything substantial in a few days and it might be a while until we find the others. We should get something to eat while we figure out what to do next," Georg said decidedly while glancing at the vendors once more.

"Should we go with you, Georg?" Maria asked, rising from the bench again.

He shook his head with surety, squinting his eyes to see which stores were located in the near distance. Having noticed a bank far down the road, Georg focused his attention on Maria again and looked her in the eyes. "No, stay here and rest. I see a bank so hopefully this should not take too long."

Maria smiled at him with understanding; she realized that Georg knew she wanted a chance to talk with Liesl alone and this would be a perfect time.

"I'll be right back," he told both of them and then turned to walk toward the bank.


	15. Chapter 15

Maria and Liesl sat quietly for a few moments. Both minds were filled with questions, but neither knew where to begin.

Maria placed her hand on Liesl's and decided to break the silence. "Thank God you're safe," she whispered to her daughter. Her voice caught as she spoke and her eyes clouded with tears.

Liesl nodded softly, locking eyes with Maria.

"I'm so sorry, Liesl. I don't know why this had to happen," Maria continued solemnly, never moving her gaze from her daughter. She paused a moment before leaning forward to stroke Liesl's cheek. "Talk to me, darling."

Liesl nodded with relief. "It was awful, Mother. I was so afraid," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes at the memory.

Maria's heart ached and she instinctively leaned over to embrace the young girl who had grown up too quickly over the course of a few days.

"Oh darling," Maria muttered, a terrible pain consuming her heart. "Tell me everything."

Liesl leaned away and Maria wiped the tears from the girl's eyes before they fell. "I don't even know where to begin," she sighed while staring off into the distance and silently reliving the nightmare in her mind.

"Did they hurt you, sweetheart?" Maria barely whispered, touching Liesl's chin and urging her to look at her. Gently, she stroked the abrasions on Liesl's face with her palm. Maria felt an ache in her heart upon seeing her daughter's pained look. The sorrow she felt for Liesl was overwhelming, but at the same time she felt an uncontrollable fury.

"They tied cloths around my wrists and mouth," Liesl said, pulling up her sleeves and pointing to the bruises on her wrists, which were now a light shade of purple.

"Dear God," Maria murmured. She placed her fingers lightly upon Liesl's wrists and looked Heavenward for a moment.

Moving her gaze again to Liesl, she looked at her with sympathy. Maria took her daughter's hands firmly in her grasp; she knew that her own hands were shaking with anger as she spoke. "Did they go near you?"

Liesl shook her head. "One of them tried to, but I fought so hard to keep him away. He slapped me, but I know it could have been much worse. He was so strong, Mother. I was terrified."

Maria could see the utter fright in the young girl's eyes and yearned to be able to take all of Liesl's burden onto her own shoulders. She sighed with despair and embraced Liesl in her arms, hoping to at least comfort her temporarily if she could not fully ease her pain.

"I've never been so scared before. I kept hearing that they were not supposed to hurt me, but I just didn't believe it. And then when one of them was alone with me and was touching my cheek and saying things to me, I just felt so—" Liesl trailed, her shoulders shaking at the memory and her voice unsteady.

Maria felt her stomach tighten at the implication and she instinctively hugged Liesl tighter and rubbed her back gently. She glanced Heavenward for a moment, grateful that the worst had not happened. "Shh….you're safe now." She continued to hold Liesl for a few minutes until she seemed more settled.

Moving back from her mother's embrace, Liesl locked eyes with her mother. "Two things kept me going. I knew you and Father would come for me and I was relieved that they had taken _me _instead of one of the others. I can't imagine what they could have done if it had been one of the little ones instead. Marta or Gretl…" she trailed, her voice faltering slightly at the thought.

Maria grasped Liesl's hand in her own and squeezed it tight. "You're so brave, Liesl. Your father and I have never been more proud of you."

"I don't feel brave."

Maria loosened her embrace and moved her head back to look at Liesl. She could see that the girl's eyes were still glazed over with sorrow and it was obvious that she had not revealed everything that was troubling her. Maria placed her hand to Liesl's cheek, and the young girl met her gaze.

"What else?" Maria questioned with a slight frown.

"He's one of them now, Mother," Liesl whispered.

"Who?" Maria asked, her frown turning into a puzzled look.

"Rolf."

"Oh, I see," Maria said sympathetically, knowing the anguish that this must have brought to Liesl's heart; the final blow in a situation that already was unbearable.

"I can't stop thinking about it. He was ordered to guard me and at times I would look at him and he was the same boy I knew. Only I knew that he wasn't. He just seems so confused there."

"I think a lot of people are confused now, Liesl, because they don't really know what is going on in the world," Maria stated wistfully.

"He asked how the family was, Mother," Liesl said with a sigh. "And the strange thing is that I believed that he _really _cared. He tried to act like one of them in front of the others but when we were alone it seemed like he didn't want to be there. That he was trapped."

"It probably hurt him to see you there as much as it hurt you to see him in that uniform. The difference is that you know what danger he is in already, and he is only just suspecting it now."

Liesl nodded her head with comprehension. "I just don't understand how he could change so much overnight, Mother. I thought he loved me," she said with woe, looking downward toward her lap.

"He did and probably still does. Boys of his age are just so impressionable. With so many men joining the Nazis, it probably seemed the logical thing to do."

"I suppose you're right," Liesl sighed. "It just hurts so much though."

"I know it does, but believe me, time will only make it better. It always does," Maria replied with a knowing smile. She leaned her head against Liesl's and placed an arm around her shoulder.

"Really?" Liesl asked, sceptical, yet hopeful at the same time. "Do you really think so?"

Maria turned toward Liesl and met her gaze with a serious look. "I know so. God's plan for your life will not disappoint you, Liesl. I'm sure of it."

"You always know just the right thing to say to make me feel better," she replied with a grateful smile.

"That's what a friend is for," Maria assured her.

Liesl turned her face toward Maria and smiled. "That's what a mother's for," she confided.

Maria grinned broadly and placed her arm around Liesl's shoulder. Liesl leaned her head against it and closed her eyes, content to be safe again with her family.

For a few minutes they sat in silence, reflecting on their conversation. Suddenly Liesl lifted her head from Maria's shoulder and spoke softly.

"Mother?"

"Hmm?"

"I've been thinking. One good thing about this is that I don't feel like a child anymore," Liesl shared, the dimples on her cheeks and her sparkling eyes revealing her happiness at the idea.

Maria grinned to herself. "Just don't tell your father that, Liesl. He's in denial that any of you children will ever grow past the age of five. Especially his daughters," she said with a smile.

"It's awful isn't it?" Liesl chuckled with a shake of her head. "You would think that with seven children he would _want _us to grow up and move out, but not Father."

Maria smiled at Liesl's observation, thinking of past conversations she had had with Georg. "I suppose no parents ever really _want _to see their children grow up."

Liesl gave Maria a mischievous smile and giggled softly. "Maybe his opinion will change now that he has you to distract him."

Maria chuckled. "Well, I vow I will try my best, for your sake Liesl."

They both giggled.

"Oh Liesl, in all seriousness, don't wish away your childhood. You'll grow up as God intends for you to, and once you are fully grown, you'll wonder where all of that time went."

Liesl nodded her head in reluctant agreement, a sullen look upon her face. "I guess you're right. I always used to wish I could just be a child again, after my mother died."

Maria nodded sympathetically, knowing that Liesl had been the "mother" for her younger siblings for several years. "But at your age, you can still be a child when you choose but you're also starting to be treated as an adult. I suspect even your father _might _soon realize this," she said with a smile.

Liesl's eyes sparkled with delight. "Really? Then maybe Father will let me start going out with boys," she stated, excitement and wonder filling her tone.

"I wouldn't count on it, young lady," said a masculine voice, amusement laced deep in its tone.

Maria and Liesl turned around and beheld Georg, standing behind them with his arms crossed and a tight smile on his face. His eyes twinkled with enjoyment.

"Father!" Liesl exclaimed with a giggle.

Georg shook his head with mock disbelief. "I should have known it wouldn't be safe to leave the two of you alone. Somehow I had the distinct feeling that I would be the topic of conversation and that I would not be here to defend myself. I see my instinct was correct."

Maria smiled and tilted her head upwards as Georg brushed her lips with his. "Darling, Liesl and I were just having a little chat, that's all," Maria told him, casting him a reassuring glance that let him know they had had a much-needed conversation.

"Your name hardly came up," Liesl said quite unconvincingly with a smile.

"Oh really?" Georg chuckled, his eyes twinkling with delight, smiling with gratitude at Maria.

Maria returned his gesture and took hold of Georg's hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "Did you get the money exchanged?"

Georg nodded his head. "And I asked the teller at the bank for this," he said while holding out a slip of paper with an address and telephone number on it for Maria and Liesl to see.

"What's it for?" Liesl asked, a perplexed look upon her face. She moved her gaze upwards to her father.

Maria also looked at Georg, awaiting his answer.

"It's the address and telephone number for the Office of Immigration. Everyone legally entering Italy must fill out a form indicating how long they will be in the country and—"

"—And where they will be staying," Maria completed for him, suddenly realizing his logic.

"Yes," Georg replied, smiling at his wife. "After we eat, I'd like to try calling the office to see if they have Emil's card on file. They legally entered the country, so I would suspect that he completed a card onboard. If I can't reach them on the phone, we'll walk there."

"It's certainly worth a try," Maria said. She met Georg's gaze and gave him an earnest look of encouragement.

Liesl nodded in agreement.

"Well that settles it. I'll go and get us something to eat," Georg answered with a smile, his mood lighter now that they at least had some starting point in their search.

He began to walk away, but stopped suddenly and turned once more to them. "On second thought, maybe I shouldn't leave you two alone again. I'm not sure if I can handle any more mockery," he quipped.

Maria waved him off with a smile, urging him to continue on his way. Liesl chuckled and rolled her eyes in a sarcastic manner. They both smiled at him and he met their gestures with an amused grin.

Georg walked toward the food stands, hoping that the Immigration Office would be able to finally bring his entire family back together, but instinctively feeling that their prayer might not be answered so quickly.


	16. Chapter 16

Maria and Liesl sat on a bench at the train station, watching Georg on the telephone a few meters away. The phone booth door was drawn, but they could see his stoic countenance through the glass window and something about his appearance unsettled Maria.

"What do you think is taking him so long?" Liesl asked, never removing her gaze from where her father stood.

Maria sighed and shook her head. "I have a bad feeling, Liesl. Wait here. I'll be back in a minute," she said as she rose and walked to the booth.

Maria rapped lightly on the window and Georg glanced upwards toward her with a start, surprised by the sudden interruption. With his hand, he motioned for her to push the door open.

Maria leaned inside the small compartment. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head in a silent plea for Georg to fill her in on the details of his conversation.

He placed his hand over the receiver and mouthed the words, 'still checking' to his wife. His face remained void of emotion but his posture was tense.

Maria gently stroked his cheek with encouragement and Georg smiled tightly at the gesture, covering her hand with his and squeezing it for strength.

Suddenly, Georg's face dropped and his stoic appearance turned to a frown. "I see. Well, thank you for your time," he spoke into the telephone.

Hanging up the receiver, he turned to Maria and shook his head. "No luck. There's an Emil Detweiler on file, but the address he listed as his residence is a commercial building. Probably so that he wouldn't leave a trail," he said with dejection.

"We suspected it, but now we know for sure that they're here," Maria pointed out with optimism. "That's more than we knew before you made the call."

Georg nodded mutely in response. He exited the booth and placed an arm around Maria's shoulders, leading her back to where Liesl sat.

Liesl glanced at her parents and immediately the hope faded from her face. "No?" she questioned, although she already knew the answer by the expressions she saw on their faces.

Maria shook her head. "Not yet, but we'll keep trying," she said with contrived encouragement.

Maria and Georg sat down beside Liesl on the bench.

"Would anyone we know have even a slight clue as to where they are?" Liesl asked, her own mind trying to think of the possibilities. "Uncle Max maybe?"

"We could try to get in contact with Max, Georg," Maria said with a quick, thankful smile in Liesl's direction.

"I'm hesitant about making any phone calls to Austria unless the idea seems very promising. Besides, the officials could be watching Max since many people knew that he was staying with us," Georg told them, his own mind preoccupied with weighing the options that remained.

"Yes, that's true," Maria agreed. "But it might be worth it Georg. Max could know something. Aside from Marianne's family in Innsbruck, Max is the last person that the children saw—"

"Now there's an idea," Georg interrupted, leaning forward so that he could look at both Liesl and Maria. His eyes showed renewed hope and glowed with ambition. "Max gave us Marianne's brother's telephone number in case we had to get in touch with them. I forgot."

"That's right! On that slip of paper in the ticket portfolio," Maria exclaimed.

Georg nodded as he reached into his pocket for the slip of paper. "I left the portfolio at the abbey when we left since I knew I'd be searched, but I put the contents in my pocket."

Maria and Liesl looked at each other and smiled when Georg pulled out of piece of paper with an address and telephone number on it.

"This is it. Josef Krüger, 2549 _Rotstrasse_, Innsbruck_. _His telephone number is also here," Georg told them.

Maria looked at him and smiled with reassurance. "Good luck calling. We'll wait here for you."

* * *

For what seemed like an eternity, Maria and Liesl sat on the same bench, staring at the phone booth where Georg had his back turned to them. Neither spoke very much, as both were anxious about his success in reaching Josef Krüger

Maria stood up and began to pace the length of the bench, her nerves wearing on her patience and her curiosity growing.

"Do you suppose he can't get through?" Liesl asked with despair.

Maria ceased pacing and looked at Liesl. "I hope that's not the case. I do wish he'd show some sign of emotion so that we'd know what's happening," Maria stated with frustration.

"How complicated is it to make a phone call?" Liesl posed with a shrug, not fully understanding the difficulty of the task at hand.

"Quite. Especially when it is out of the country. We tried to call you from Paris and we couldn't get through, even after many tries," Maria sighed. She began to pace again, kneading her hands absently in front of her.

Liesl looked compassionately at Maria, sensing her worry, and then returned her gaze to her father. She could see that he had shifted slightly in his stance, and now leaned against the wall of the phone booth. His face appeared calm, and he was obviously engaged in conversation with someone. However, it was still not possible to fully decipher his emotions.

"Look," Liesl stated as she motioned her hand towards her father.

Maria looked upwards and felt encouraged by the sight. "Wait here a minute, darling," she said before turning and walking towards Georg. As she approached him, Maria put her hands on her hips and released an exaggerated sigh of impatience.

She approached the phone booth and Georg noticed her before she had to make her presence known. He opened the door and reached forward, taking hold of her hand. Although still engaged in conversation, he squeezed Maria's hand tightly and looked her intently in the eyes. He nodded at her and smiled softly, almost peacefully.

"Yes?" Maria mouthed to him with wide eyes of excitement.

Georg nodded and again squeezed her hand.

Maria looked Heavenward for a second and then turned to Georg. Tears started to form in her eyes.

Georg bid farewell to Josef and hung up the receiver. He turned to Maria and smiled, softly at first, but then more broadly. Relief was written all over his face. "They're less than fifteen minutes away on foot. Emil told Josef three possible hotels he knew of here that he would try to check into, so we can narrow it down to those."

Georg held up the piece of paper with Josef's telephone number and Maria could see that he had scribbled a list on the back of it. "He said to try the one at the top first and to go down the list from there."

Maria's eyes glistened with moisture and her smile broadened.

Georg urged her away from the entrance and walked out of the booth, leading her back to Liesl.

"We'll be with everyone again very soon," Maria told her while taking the girl's hand.

Liesl smiled and her eyes sparkled with happiness. "Where are they?" she asked her father with a smile.

Georg held the paper up for Liesl to see. "At one of these hotels. We will need to walk a little though," he told her with an unsure glance at her swollen foot.

She nodded at him and shrugged her shoulders, momentarily forgetting about her injury. However, a moment later when she realized her father's point, Liesl's face filled with determination.

"Don't worry about me," she said while casting a brave look of assurance in her parents' direction.

Georg removed his tie and knelt down at Liesl's feet. "Hold out your foot to me, Liesl," he told her.

Liesl looked at him sceptically, but did as she was told.

Georg wrapped his tie around her ankle as a mock bandage and tightly knotting the ends together. "Try to stand," he told her, while putting out his hand for Liesl as support.

She stood and leaned against her father; the pain was still apparent, but the bandage seemed to at least keep her ankle steady enough to put some pressure on it.

"Much better," she said with an encouraging smile.

"Just lean on your father and me, Liesl. It will only be a short distance," Maria told her with a glance at Georg, the compassion in her eyes for Liesl was blatant.

Georg met Maria's gaze and he gave her an encouraging look. He turned his attention to Liesl. "If your ankle starts to hurt, or you get tired, I'll carry you."

"I'll be fine," Liesl told them both with certainty, anxious to see her family again and not allowing her injury to delay their reunion any longer than needed.

Maria took Liesl's hand and squeezed it affectionately. She moved closer to the pair and Liesl took some of the weight off of her father and distributed it evenly between both parents. The trio walked out of the train station and left in the direction of the hotels that Josef had suggested.


	17. Chapter 17

Georg, Maria and Liesl left the second hotel and stood outside to read the name and address of Josef's final suggestion. They had been to the first two hotels on the list with no luck; neither establishment recalled an Emil Detweiler, nor a group that resembled their description of Emil's family and the children.

Looking both ways down the road to get his bearings, Georg pointed to the left. "This way," he said flatly.

Maria glanced between her husband's stoic demeanor and her daughter's sullen look of despair. She would not allow herself to lose hope until they had exhausted all possibilities for finding the children; with one hotel left to try, they were not desperate yet.

"Let's hope we'll be lucky this time," she said with optimism, hoping to lighten her family's mood.

Georg nodded mutely, his face stern and unemotional.

They continued to walk in silence and soon reached the _Hotel Vittoria._ Georg held the door open, motioned for Maria to go in and then helped Liesl enter himself. As she passed him, Maria met his gaze and smiled with encouragement.

Maria and Georg settled Liesl on a nearby chair and walked to the counter. An older woman with a broad, welcoming smile turned her attention to them. "_Buon giorno!_ May I help you?"

"_Buon giorno,_" Georg began with a courteous nod of his head. "We are trying to get in touch with some friends who arrived in town yesterday morning. The name is Detweiler, uh, Emil Detweiler. Might you tell us if they are staying here?"

The lady's smile faded for a moment as she glanced at her visitors; dishevelled, dressed in heavy travel clothes, and obviously foreign. She regarded them mutely for a moment and a defeaning silence filled the room.

"We must have misplaced the name of their hotel," Georg said with feigned humor, upon hearing the awkward silence.

Maria nodded and forced a smile to support Georg's effort.

Suddenly the lady smiled at them. "Yes. Yes, there _is _an Emil Detweiler and family staying here who checked in yesterday morning. Two adults and ten children, if I recall."

Georg heard Maria exhale the deep breath that she had been holding.

"Yes, that's them," he told the lady calmly, not wanting to outwardly show his emotion yet not realizing that his happiness and relief showed regardless.

The lady smiled at the blatant happiness of the group that had looked so forlorn and fatigued just minutes earlier. "I'll show you to their rooms now, if you would like?" she asked.

"Please," Maria said graciously, her heart racing at the prospect of seeing her children again after what seemed like an endless separation.

The hotel receptionist watched as Georg walked over to Liesl and helped her to stand. She glanced downward at the pseudo-bandage on the girl's ankle. Walking behind the desk, the woman reached underneath and pulled out a slightly discolored bandage, a half-used container of salve, and a half-full bottle of Aspirin. She walked back to the trio, who still had their backs to her, helping to steady Liesl.

Maria sensed the lady approaching and turned around, her eyes immediately falling upon the contents in the woman's hand. The lady held them out to Maria and placed the supplies in her possession. She touched Maria's arm in a gentle manner and met the young woman's gaze. "Take these. It is all I have, but it should help her," she said sincerely while motioning to Liesl.

Maria's eyes began to tear at the woman's kindness. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to us."

The woman smiled. "She needs it. It is my pleasure." She squeezed Maria's hand in comfort and smiled at her sincerely. Walking a few paces ahead, she motioned to the Von Trapps to follow her down the hallway.

The woman led them up a narrow flight of stairs and around another bend before stopping in front of room 24. Turning to face the family, she smiled. "Best wishes."

"Thank you, _Signora_," Georg told her with an appreciative nod. "Your kindness is a blessing to us."

The lady did not reply, but merely met Georg's gaze with compassion. She smiled reassuringly at the family and with a final nod farewell, she turned around to head back down the hallway to the stairs.

"Well go on," Maria said to Georg, trying not to make her excitement obvious and motioning to the door. "Knock."

Georg rapped on the door and almost immediately footsteps could be heard approaching. Someone fumbled with the lock from within the room and the door opened a crack, still chained half-way closed from the inside.

Emil glanced at the trio outside his hotel room and the face that was initially fearful and uncertain upon hearing a visitor, now beheld a broad grin. He unfastened the chain on the door and opened it fully.

The group stared at each other without moving for a moment, overcome with happiness, before falling into a series of embraces.

"My God," Emil murmured as they parted, while staring at the Von Trapps with a wide smile.

Georg's eyes were filled with gratitude. He reached forward, taking Emil's hand firmly in his grasp and patting it in a friendly manner.

Emil accepted the gesture and turned toward Maria and Liesl. "How wonderful to see you both again. And safe," he said while taking each of their hands and placing a light kiss on top.

"Thank you, Emil," Maria said in a more serious tone than intended, while staring at their friend through the tears of joy and gratitude that had formed in her eyes.

Emil raised a brow and held up his finger at Maria, giving her a look of mock seriousness in an effort to hide his own emotions. "None of that or I'll become a blubbering fool myself in front of two beautiful young ladies," he said with a chuckle.

"What beautiful young ladies would be here to see you?" quipped a female voice from inside Emil's hotel room. An arm embraced him from behind and Emil's wife, Marianne, came into view. She squeezed her husband's side in a loving manner and placed a light kiss on his cheek. As tears formed in her eyes, she smiled warmly at the family and reached out to embrace Liesl first and then Maria.

Turning toward Georg, Marianne held out her arms and embraced her friend of so many years. After a long moment, she leaned backwards and looked from one Von Trapp to the other with sheer happiness upon her face. "Thank God," she murmured while reaching out for Maria's hand and stroking Liesl's face with her palm.

Georg stepped behind Liesl and Maria and placed an arm on each of their backs as he spoke to Emil and Marianne. "Thank you for everything you've done. We can't express our gratitude enough," he said in an earnest voice.

"They've done nothing but talk about you since they've been here," Marianne recalled with a smile.

"I hope they weren't too much trouble for you. They can be quite daunting at times, " Maria said with a serious expression of gratitude.

"Nonsense. They amused themselves the entire time," Emil answered.

"And the older ones helped so much. It was our pleasure. Honestly," Marianne reassured them while reaching forward to pat Maria on the hand.

Maria smiled warmly at their friends. "Thank you. Both of you," she said with an earnest look at each of them.

"Yes, thank you," Georg reiterated.

"How are the others?" Liesl asked while craning her neck to try to peek inside the hotel room. Georg and Maria's curiosity and excitement were obvious as they both looked to their friends for an answer.

Emil focused his gaze across the hallway, over Georg's shoulder, and smiled. "Well, maybe you should ask them yourselves?"

Surprised, the family turned and followed Emil's gaze to find ten faces looking in their direction, some scattered in the hallway outside two additional rooms and some peeking around the doorframes from inside.

Georg, Maria, and Liesl looked at them with a mixture of happiness, relief, and nervousness, not knowing how the children would react to their having been away. Yet, when Maria held her arms out to them, their stunned faces turned into wide smiles and nothing but happiness shined from within each of them.

"You're here!" Brigitta finally shouted.

As if on cue, the six Von Trapps bolted forward toward their parents and sister. Georg stood behind Liesl to steady her when he saw the stampede coming.

Emil and Marianne motioned for their four children to join them on the other side of the hallway as they watched the reunion. Their eyes filled with tears of joy as they beheld the scene.

The Von Trapps embraced without speaking for a few moments, just relishing in each other's presence and love. Never before had any of them felt such a need to stay close to one another.

Georg picked up Marta and held her tightly as Gretl wrapped her arms around his leg. At the same time, Kurt and Brigitta moved closer to Maria, not wanting to let her out of their touch. Maria leaned forward to blow Friedrich a kiss while Louisa embraced Liesl.

After a moment, Gretl broke free of the group and looked at Liesl with a frown on her face, placing her hands upon her hips.

"Gretl, what's wrong?" Liesl asked with a small smile. The sixteen year old glanced at her father and they exchanged a look of amusement upon seeing the melodramatic little girl stomp her foot.

Gretl placed her hands around Liesl's waist and clung tightly to her. "I missed you. Don't ever leave me again."

Liesl stroked her sister's hair. "I promise I won't," she whispered, her voice catching as she spoke.

Maria smiled at her children and spoke through the tears that had welled in her eyes. "I trust you all were on your best behavior for the Detweilers?"

Brigitta stepped forward and nodded her head with authority towards her mother. "Yes, they were good most of the time," she said matter-of-factly.

Louisa and Friedrich glanced at each other and rolled their eyes. "You weren't in charge. I was because I was the oldest," Friedrich retorted as he looked to his parents for reassurance.

"Oh I see," Maria said with a smile and wink toward Friedrich.

As the ice was now broken, the seemingly endless questions began almost instantaneously. All six Von Trapps participated in bombarding their parents and sister with the thoughts that had been clouding their minds for the past two days.

_"Father, did you have to fight anyone?"_

_"How did you get here?"_

_"Did the bad men get you, Liesl?"_

_"Mother, did you have to fight anyone?"_

_"Are we going to live here now?"_

After a few moments, what had started as an innocent explosion of inquiries had now become a battle to see who could pose the most outlandish question.

"All right!" Georg laughed, holding up his hand to cease the commotion. "We promise you will hear _everything _that happened, but not now. Your sister's ankle is badly injured so we should give her some time to get her bandage on and rest."

Georg looked to Liesl and she nodded, the pain on her face obvious. He squeezed Marta tightly and then put his young daughter to the ground, stroking her cheek affectionately when he noticed how sad she looked to be out of his arms.

"Friedrich, help your sister get settled," Georg instructed with a confident look at his son.

Kurt glanced over to his eldest sister and his eyes grew wide as he saw her injured ankle and chaffed face and arms. "She got _those_ when she fought the Nazis. Their injuries are _much _worse," Kurt whispered to Marta, who nodded with sincere belief.

Maria glanced at Georg and the couple smiled at each other upon hearing the exaggeration.

"Well, why don't you two rest in our room for a while and then we can all go for something to eat later. We'll keep an eye on the children," Marianne told Georg and Maria.

Maria was about to protest, but when she turned to the children and saw that they were busy questioning Liesl, she felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders. They would occupy themselves for a little while longer.

"Please. You both need it. Emil and I will talk to the lady at the front desk about getting an extra room for you," Marianne persisted with a kind smile at the couple.

"We'd appreciate it," Maria told her with a grateful nod.

Marianne showed them into her and Emil's hotel room and closed the door softly behind them.

Sighing deeply, Georg leaned against the door and shut his eyes for a moment. He could feel the tension melt away from his body as he was finally able to feel true relief for the first time in days. Suddenly he felt an arm go around his waist and when he slowly opened his eyes, Maria was standing before him. He locked eyes with her for a second and then drew her to him in a close embrace

She clung to him tightly, the realization that she could have lost him or one of the children hitting her full force, now that she had a chance to reflect on the danger they had been through. The fact that all nine of them were safely together was a true sign of God's protection; Maria was certain.

After a moment, Georg moved back so that he could look at his wife. "We made it," he whispered.

She stared up at him and nodded. "It feels good to breath again," she said, sighing deeply and letting her body relax against his chest.

Georg rubbed her back gently and leaned forward the kiss her temple. "Maria?" he suddenly asked, his voice faltering slightly as he spoke and the questionning tone a sign that he had something on his mind.

"Yes, darling?" she replied, her face filling with compassion as she looked into his eyes and saw his troubled look.

"How's Liesl?" he whispered, knowing that she had had a chance to talk with the young girl. As he waited for his wife to answer, Georg frowned as he thought about how his child had been through such trauma and he had not been able to prevent it.

"She's so strong. Just like you," Maria told him was reassurance, reaching her hand upwards to stroke his cheek.

"I'm not the only parent influencing her in that area."

Maria locked eyes with him at the implication and her gaze grew more serious. "God was watching her, Georg. I'm certain. It could have been a lot worse, but she will need our support more than ever. She's been through a lot.."

He nodded and stood mute for a moment. Dropping his arms to his side, he stared absently past Maria, knitting his brow with contemplation. After a moment, he turned to her and took both of her hands in his. "I've never felt so lucky."

He paused for a minute and glanced toward the corner of the room without realizing it. Moving his gaze back to Maria, Georg saw her smile at him encouragingly, urging him to continue speaking.

"We've lost so much, but it's true. The only thing I _really_ have to offer my family now is my love," he thought out loud. "But we're safe and all together and I've never been so thankful for anything before. Just thinking about what could have happened--" he trailed.

"Shh," she whispered to him. Breaking into a comforting smile, she continued to speak. "You have so much love to give to Liesl, Georg. To all of them. To _me_. Everything else God will provide for us."

He reached upwards and traced the outline of her face with his finger. "Liesl's so lucky to have you, Maria. She needs a mother so much, especially now. They all do."

Maria felt her gaze cloud over with moisture. "I couldn't imagine being anyplace else but here with you and our children."

"I can't imagine not having you," he said in a low voice, a wave of despair washing over him as the thought even entered his mind.

Maria sighed and closed her eyes.

Georg caressed her cheek and leaned forward to leave small kisses down her hairline. "You're my life," he murmured. He gently touched her closed eyelids, urging her to look at him as he regarded her intensely.

"Kiss me, Maria," he whispered, needing to feel the security of his wife's lips again; the soft touch that he lived for, the constancy of her love in their changing world.

Meeting his gaze with an intense look of her own, she slowly leaned forward and placed her lips to his, knowing that feeling his soft touch was all that she needed to calm her soul and to know that not everything had changed. Their love was as strong, if not stronger, than it ever was. Nothing could ever take that away from them.

For a long moment they held each other close, the security they felt in each other's arms making them cling to the other, never wanting to let go. The relief in just being together and knowing their family was safe, caused a wave of peace to wash over them.

After a moment, Maria pulled away breathless and met Georg's gaze, staring directly into his eyes. The affection that she saw there mesmerized her and she smiled softly at him, knowing that this is all she really needed; Georg's love and the children's.

"Where to now?" she asked him softly "We can't stay in Italy forever."

"America. We'll go to the port tomorrow to see what we need to do to get everyone on a boat. We'll manage, darling."

Maria nodded and sighed deeply. She leaned her head against Georg's chest and wrapped her arms around the small of his back, wanting the feelings of security and trust that she felt in his arms to never go away.

He leaned close to her ear and gently nibbled at the lobe. "But in the meantime, I'd suggest finding out if that room of ours is ready. I _did _promise you a special thank you, so I can't go back on my word. It wouldn't be polite," Georg quipped.

Maria shot her head up and locked eyes with him. "Always the gentleman," she said as the corners of her mouth started to slowly turn upwards.

"Of course. Eh, always the nun?" Georg countered with a sly grin. His eyes twinkled with delight as he watched Maria's initial surprise dissolve into a coy smile.

"Guess again, Captain," she whispered into his ear.

Georg threw his head back in laughter and again drew Maria to him in a warm embrace. He placed his arm around her shoulder and led her towards the door, kissing her forehead along the way.

As they left the room, Georg and Maria both felt their worries about their family's future disappear. They had been through so much and had made it this far already. Together. In their minds, there was no doubt that this was only the beginning of the many surprises that life would give them, but that with hope, strength, and each other, they would be able to get through everything.

THE END

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_Thank you for all of the lovely reviews; I appreciate all of them so much! -emartin :)_


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